Rahimi helps fire Morocco into Olympic semi-finals as they thrash USA

Al Ain forward opens scoring for Atlas Lions in 4-0 rout in Paris

Morocco's Al Ain forward Soufiane Rahimi, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty for the opening goal in their 4-0 Olympic Games quarter-final win against the USA at the Parc des Princes in Paris on August 2, 2024. AFP

Soufiane Rahimi puts Morocco 1-0 up against the United States. Getty Images

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates with Ilias Akhomach after scoring their opener from the penalty spot. AFP

Morocco's Mehdi Maouhoub scores his side's fourth goal. AP

Mehdi Maouhoub of Morocco celebrates scoring their fourth with teammates. Reuters

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi scores the opening goal from the penalty spot. AP

Achraf Hakimi scores Morocco's third goal. Getty Images

Morocco's Achraf Hakimi scores his side's third. AP

Morocco's Achraf Hakimi celebrates scoring his side's third goal. AP

Morocco's Ilias Akhomach celebrates scoring his side's second goal. AP

Morocco players celebrate after Ilias Akhomach scored their second. AP

Ilias Akhomach of Morocco after scoring their second goal. Reuters

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates with coach Tarik Sektioui after scoring the first goal. AFP

Soufiane Rahimi set Morocco on course for a 4-0 victory against the USA in their Olympic Games quarter-final in Paris on Friday.

The Al Ain forward scored from the penalty spot, before second-half goals from Illias Akhomach, skipper Achraf Hakimi and substitute El Mehdi Maouhoub completed the rout at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

Morocco will face Spain, who beat Japan 3-0 in Lyon on Friday, in the semi-finals in Marseille on Monday.

It was the first time Morocco have advanced to the Olympic semi-finals, after becoming the first African nation to reach the last four of the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

“It’s a historic day for all of us. I’m very happy about that. We’re very happy and proud,” said Hakimi, Morocco's captain. “I have one goal here, which is to win the medal."

The large Moroccan community in France has turned out in big numbers to back the Atlas Lions, who came to the Games after winning last year's Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations.

In front of packed house giving raucous backing to the North Africans, Rahimi got the ball rolling after 28 minutes.

USA defender Nathan Harriel fouled him in the box and, despite protests from the American players, referee Yael Falcon Perez pointed to the spot.

A VAR check upheld the decision and Rahimi fired low to the left and beyond the dive of Patrick Schulte and is out on his own as tournament top-scorer with five goals.

Miles Robinson missed a good chance for the Americans just before the hour, but Morocco doubled their lead on 63 minutes.

Ezzalzouli produced a great piece of play on the left flank before picking out his fellow former Barcelona youngster Akhomach to finish at the near post.

Hakimi, playing on his Paris Saint-Germain home ground, then ran through to make it 3-0 with 20 minutes of the game remaining.

Substitute Maouhoub added another penalty in stoppage time after Harriel had been penalised for handball following a VAR review.

Rahimi is the tournament's top scorer with five goals in four games.

But his hot run of form will come as no surprise to Al Ain fans. He was the UAE club’s driving force in their run to the Asian Champions League final.

He scored three goals across two quarter-final legs against a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr where he also converted from the penalty spot in the 3-1 shoot-out win.

A hat-trick against Saudi giants Al Hilal, a side on a record 34-match win streak, put Al Ain firmly in control of the semi-final first leg with the Garden City club advancing to the final 5-4 on aggregate.

A two-legged final against Japan's Yokohama F Marinos was their reward but a 2-1 defeat in Tokyo meant Al Ain had it all to do in the second leg.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Within eight minutes Rahimi had levelled the tie and by the end of it he had added a second and had a hand in another as Al Ain ran out 6-3 winners overall to be crowned continental champions for only a second time.