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Soufiane Rahimi played a pivotal role in Morocco’s historic bronze medal victory, scoring twice in their 6-0 thrashing of Egypt on Thursday. This marks Morocco’s first podium finish in Olympic football.
Morocco’s commanding performance at Nantes’ La Beaujoire Stadium was marked by contributions from several players: Abde Ezzalzouli, Bilal El Khannouss, Akram Nakach, and Achraf Hakimi all found the net.
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Rahimi, with his two goals, cemented his place as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, a notable achievement given his status as one of the overage players allowed in the under-23 squads.
Egypt, on the other hand, endured their third fourth-place finish at the Olympics, following previous near misses in Amsterdam 1928 and Tokyo 1964.
The Moroccan team drew inspiration from their senior men’s team’s impressive World Cup run in 2022 and was buoyed by passionate fan support throughout the tournament. Forward Ilias Akhomach expressed the team’s elation at securing their nation’s first Olympic medal, despite falling short of their gold medal aspirations.
Morocco’s tournament highlights include a significant 4-0 victory over the United States in the quarterfinals, though they fell to Spain 2-1 in the semifinals. Spain will compete against France for the gold medal.
Rahimi’s goals in the match came with a header in the 26th minute and another strike in the 64th minute, with his assist contributing to Nakach’s goal in the 73rd. Hakimi also added to Morocco’s tally with a late free-kick.
Egypt’s efforts were hampered by the absence of key players, including Omar Fayed, who was red-carded in the semifinal against France, and winger Zizo, who was injured early in the match. Egypt coach Rogerio Micale, who led Brazil to gold in 2016, acknowledged Morocco’s superior performance and finishing.
Overall, Morocco’s victory not only represents a significant milestone for the country’s football history but also reflects their remarkable journey throughout the Olympic tournament.
