Morocco Ol. vs Spain Ol. prediction: WORLD: Olympic Games – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-08-04 16:00.
[p]Morocco eased into the semi-final of the 2024 Olympics football tournament by thrashing USA 4-0 on Friday, setting up this mouthwatering clash with Spain in the last-four while guaranteeing themselves a shot at a medal. Having never previously qualified from the group stages since the competition switched to an U23 format, Tarik Sektiouiâs team are in uncharted territory, although theyâve emulated the senior side who exited at this stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[/p]
[p]Having already won in Nice, Paris and Saint-Ătienne, the Atlas Lions head for their fourth venue of the campaign, Marseille, for a third Olympic Games H2H with Spain. However, failure to win either of the previous two (D1, L1) suggests the odds are against Morocco, while the omens arenât on their side either, as those previous meetings were also in cities beginning with M, with both fixtures in Melbourne (L 2-0) and Manchester (D 0-0) seeing Morocco fail to score.[/p]
[p]That goalless draw was one of the low points in Spainâs Olympic journey as it led to them unexpectedly exiting London 2012 at the group stage. Spanish football is much more positive these days, with their senior team winning Euro 2024 in Germany less than a month ago, a feat their Olympics side â with Euro winners Fermin LĂłpez and Ălex Baena included â are now looking to emulate, and having lost only once en route to the semi-finals (W3), they look well-placed to do so.[/p]
[p]LĂłpez netted twice as they also dominated their quarter-final, beating Japan 3-0 while keeping a clean sheet for the first time in five competitive matches (W3, L2). With that good H2H record against Morocco buoying them, the Tokyo 2020 silver medallists are eyeing up a fourth appearance in the final and another good omen is that La Roja have never lost a semi-final at the Olympic Games (W3).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Moroccoâs Soufiane Rahimi is the tournamentâs leading scorer (five goals) and his last two strikes arrived between the 25th and 30th minute. Spainâs Abel Ruiz has been in the thick of the action this tournament as heâs notched up one goal, one assist and collected a yellow card.[/p]
[p]Hot streak: All four of Spainâs games at this tournament witnessed goals in both halves.[/p]
[p][i]Written by John Pennington[/i][/p]