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Morocco’s under-23 Olympic football team secured the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, defeating Egypt 6-0 on Thursday in Nantes, France.
The Atlas Cubs put on a spectacular performance, starting with Abdessamad Ezzalzouli opening the scoring in the 23rd minute. Just three minutes later, forward Soufiane Rahimi added Morocco’s second goal in the 26th minute.
Despite several attempts, the Egyptian team failed to score in the first half. Morocco continued their dominance in the second half, with Bilal El Khannouss netting the third goal in the 51st minute, followed by a fourth one by Rahimi in the 64th minute.
The scoreline increased further when Akram Nakach scored the fifth goal in the 73rd minute. Just when it seemed the game would end at 5-0, captain Achraf Hakimi sealed the victory with a sixth goal in the 87th minute.
The first Arab nation to win a football Olympic medal
Commenting on this historic win, Hakimi wrote on his X account, «I'm incredibly proud». «After the disappointment of the African Cup of Nations, I was determined to achieve something great for my country», he added.
«Today, everyone on this team feels immense pride knowing that we've won the first Olympic football medal in our history. This result demonstrates the continued growth of our sport and promises a very bright future. Thank you to all Moroccans for your unwavering support. Dima Maghrib!»
At the end of this all-African ranking match, Morocco became the first Arab nation to secure a spot on the Olympic podium. The U23 team qualified for the 2024 Olympics by reaching the final of the African Cup of Nations (CAN 2023) in their category.
Fier. Après la déception de la Coupe d'Afrique, j'avais très envie de réaliser quelque chose de grand avec mon pays. Aujourd'hui, tous ceux qui font partie de cette équipe se sentent très fiers, sachant que nous avons remporté la première médaille olympique de notre histoire en… pic.twitter.com/1WPic7Bi8a
— Achraf Hakimi (@AchrafHakimi) August 8, 2024
At the CAN U23, Morocco clinched the continental title for the first time, defeating the same Egyptian team (2-1) that previously held the title. Morocco now boasts its second medal of the 2024 Olympic Games, after Soufiane El Bakkali's gold in the 3,000m steeplechase yesterday.
This triumph comes after a disappointing semifinal match on Monday, where the Atlas Cubs lost 1-2 to Spain, missing out on a spot in the final. Spain and France will face off on Friday for the gold medal.
