PARIS, Aug 10 – Spain beat hosts France 5-3 in extra time after a thrilling match on Friday to become Olympic men’s football gold medallists.
This victory came just weeks after they were crowned European champions and Real Madrid won the Champions League once again.
Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez scored twice in a dramatic game, and Sergio Camello added two crucial extra-time goals, securing the Olympic men’s title for Spain for only the second time since Barcelona in 1992, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
France, who included veteran Alexandre Lacazette and Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta as two overage players in their under-23 squad, took the lead in a topsy-turvy clash.
Spain were exposed defensively in the 11th minute when Enzo Millot’s shot somehow got past the hapless Arnau Tenas in the Spanish goal.
Tenas soon redeemed himself with some superb saves and Spain bounced back as a team – with a little help from the French.
Lopez was completely unmarked when he scored the equaliser in the 18th minute and then added another goal in the 25th minute after a parry from keeper Guillaume Restes.
It was 3-1 on 28 minutes following Alex Baena’s perfect free-kick as Spain, runners-up to Brazil in Tokyo three years ago, showed their ruthless streak – just like the senior men at Euro 2024 last month and Madrid in the premier men’s club competition in June.
Thierry Henry’s France pushed hard in the second half and pulled one back through Maghnes Akliouche in the 79th minute. They then equalised at 3-3 from the penalty spot in stoppage time, with Mateta scoring after a VAR intervention.
There was even time for Benat Turrientes to rattle the bar for Spain before extra time began.
Substitute Camello then scored a fabulous goal on 100 minutes, worthy of the contest, before sealing the win in style with a strike following a huge throw from goalkeeper Tenas in stoppage time.
