There were 25 goals in the 2024 Summer Olympics football results on Saturday, including starring roles from Premier League players and wins for heavyweights such as Argentina, France and Spain.
Team USA recorded the largest margin of victory, ending their 16-year wait for an Olympic goal by netting three before half-time.
Two added-time goals settled a five-goal thriller of a second half between Israel and Paraguay in a competition in which all but three players from each squad are required to be under 23.
Here’s a round-up of the results on a day on a day when Ukraine, Egypt and Japan also collected three points each.
Group A standings after match ✌️#OlyMNT x #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/lS8FW9T4kv
— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) July 27, 2024
📰 Table Of Contents
- 1 USA vs New Zealand: USMNT goals glut
- 2 Argentina vs Iraq: Copa America champions win
- 3 Spain vs Dominican Republic: Euro 2024 stars soar
- 4 France vs Guinea: Hosts edge to win
- 5 Ukraine vs Morocco: Result makes history
- 6 Paraguay vs Israel: Late drama
- 7 Japan vs Mali: Yamamoto winner
- 8 Uzbekistan vs Egypt: Pharaohs a step closer
USA vs New Zealand: USMNT goals glut
Following their opening defeat to France, the USMNT team made a blistering start to their second match as goals from Djordje Mihailovic and Walker Zimmerman gave Marko Mitrovic’s side a 2-0 lead against New Zealand after 10 minutes at the Paris Games.
Gianluca Busio added another after 30 minutes and Paxten Aaronson made it 4-0 during the second half. Jesse Randall pulled one back with 12 minutes remaining for the Kiwis, who are on three points.
Argentina vs Iraq: Copa America champions win
Argentina were on their way to putting their chaotic opening defeat to Morocco behind them when Thiago Almada volleyed in from Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez’s pass
Iraq drew level on the stroke of half-time through skipper Aymen Hussein’s header, but substitute Luciano Gondou restored Argentina’s lead and Ezequiel Fernandez made it 3-1 with an eye-catching strike.
𝐀 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 👊🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/5lr03Xa9bm
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) July 27, 2024
Spain vs Dominican Republic: Euro 2024 stars soar
Two of Spain’s Uefa Euro 2024 winners struck as La Roja survived a scare to beat the Dominican Republic 3-1 in Bordeaux and reach the quarter-finals.
Fermin Lopez and Alex Baena struck either side of Angel Montes De Oca’s surprise headed equaliser for the underdogs, who had Edison Azcona dismissed with the score 1-1. Miguel Gutierrez added a 70th-minute third.
France vs Guinea: Hosts edge to win
Manager Thierry Henry had to wait until the 75th minute for his side to find a breakthrough against a Guinea team who provided an even contest.
New Bayern Munich signing Michael Olise produced the required moment of ingenuity, swinging in an inviting cross which was expertly glanced in by Freiburg full-back Kiliann Sildillia to continue France’s perfect start.
A 𝟮𝗡𝗗 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 in 2 matches for les Bleus who take a big step towards qualification for the Olympic quarter-finals! 🙌
🇫🇷1-0🇬🇳 | #FRAGUI | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/MwsYfj2LzP
— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) July 27, 2024
Ukraine vs Morocco: Result makes history
Ukraine claimed a first ever win in the competition through extraordinarily dramatic means, Ihor Krasnopir’s winner coming against the run of play in the 10th minute of added time.
Dmytro Kryskiv had given Ukraine a 22nd-minute lead but Morocco had looked the more likely to win after Soufiane Rahimi converted a second-half penalty, awarded for a foul on him by centre-back Volodymyr Salyuk, who was dismissed for the offence.
Paraguay vs Israel: Late drama
Paraguay lost their opener 5-0 to Japan and might have hoped for a routine recovery when Marcelo Fernandez’s goal gave them the lead at half-time.
Brighton & Hove Albion livewire Julio Enciso put them 2-1 ahead either side of goals by Omri Gandelman and Oscar Gloukh for Israel. The score remained level until the 93rd minute, when Fabian Balbuena made it 3-2 before Fernandez scored a 96th-minute second.
💎🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/DxukOrr6ZE
— Selección Paraguaya (@Albirroja) July 27, 2024
Japan vs Mali: Yamamoto winner
Mali had 16 of the 26 attempts at goal in Bordeaux but Japan’s 1-0 win means they are the only Group D team with maximum points.
Rihito Yamamoto scored the 82nd-minute winner to guarantee the Samurai Blue a place in the quarter-finals with a match to spare.
Uzbekistan vs Egypt: Pharaohs a step closer
Ahmed Koka scored the 11th-minute winner in Nantes to put Egypt on course for the quarter-finals and knock out Uzbekistan.
Even Koka might concede the decisive goal was a little fortunate, Mukhammadkodir Khamraliev inadvertently sending the ball against the midfielder’s foot and in.
