Egypt to face Morocco in Paris 2024 bronze medal match after extra-time defeat to France

Hosts come from behind to win 3-1 after extra time to set up a gold medal match with Spain

Jean-Philippe Mateta and his France teammates celebrate victory over Egypt in the Olympics semi-finals. Reuters

Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics

Egypt will take on Morocco in the Paris Olympics bronze medal match on Thursday after a heartbreaking 3-1 semi-final defeat to France.

Egypt looked to be heading for the gold medal match when they led hosts France in Lyon with seven minutes remaining, courtesy of Mahmoud Saber's goal just after the hour mark.

But Jean-Philippe Mateta levelled late on to force extra time and after Egypt's Omar Fayed was sent off in the opening minutes of additional play. Crystal Palace striker Mateta then scored his second to give France the advantage.

Michael Olise then sealed the win on 108 minutes and France, looking for their second Olympic men's football gold medal and first since 1984, will now face Spain at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Friday.

Spain left it similarly late against Morocco in the first semi-final as substitute Juanlu Sanchez scored the winner in the 85th minute after Fermin Lopez's second-half goal cancelled out Al Ain striker Soufiane Rahimi's first-half penalty.

"When you see France picking up medals all over the place, you say to yourself it is up to us now to not let everyone down," said France manager Thierry Henry.

"You don't want to be the team who don't win a medal so at least that is done. Now we will see what colour we get, but honestly I am living a dream here and I don't want to wake up."

France hit the woodwork through Loic Bade late in the first half and were caught out by a sucker punch when Saber fired Egypt ahead against the run of play on 62 minutes.

The hosts then pushed frantically for an equaliser and struck the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds, captain Alexandre Lacazette heading off a post and Bade nodding the follow-up against the bar.

The leveller arrived in the 83rd minute, with new Bayern Munich signing Olise the creator as he cut through the middle on a driving run before playing in Mateta to finish.

France hoped to find a winner before extra time, but a penalty appeal after Fayed blocked a Bade header with his hand was dismissed after a long VAR review.

Egypt were quickly reduced to 10 men in extra time when Fayed – already booked for arguing against the penalty call – saw yellow again for chopping down Desire Doue.

France went ahead in the 99th minute when Kiliann Sildillia headed Olise's delivery back across goal for Mateta to head in his fourth goal of the tournament.

The excellent Olise fired in the third at the start of the second half of extra time after a clearance struck Doue and fell into his path and France celebrated wildly at full time.

The bronze medal match between Egypt and Morocco will be played on Thursday at La Beaujoire Stadium in Nantes, before France face Spain for the gold medal at Parc des Princes in Paris on Friday.