France Fight Back to Set Up Olympic Final Showdown

France have booked their place in the Olympic football final after a dramatic 3-1 extra-time victory over Egypt in a pulsating semi-final encounter. The hosts, aiming to replicate their 1984 gold medal triumph, will now face Spain in the showpiece event.

The match at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais began at a frenetic pace, with both sides eager to assert their dominance.Egypt, buoyed by their quarter-final upset of Argentina, looked to spring an early surprise. However, it was France who created the initial clear-cut opportunities, only to be denied by the impressive Hamza Alaa in the Egyptian goal.

The deadlock was broken just before the hour mark when Mohamed Shehata set up Mahmoud Saber, who fired home a clinical finish to give Egypt a deserved lead. The goal sparked a frantic response from France, with Alexandre Lacazette and Jean-Philippe Mateta coming close to equalizing.

Despite their dominance, Les Bleus were unable to find a way past Alaa, who produced a series of outstanding saves to keep his side in front. However, with time running out, France were awarded a lifeline when Omar Fayed handled the ball in the penalty area. Referee Saíd Martínez initially opted against awarding a penalty but, after a VAR review, changed his decision.

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The reprieve proved crucial as Mateta converted the resulting spot-kick to send the game into extra time. The Crystal Palace forward completed his brace shortly after the restart, heading home a cross from Kiliann Sildillia to give France the lead. Olise then added a third goal to seal the victory and set up a mouthwatering final against Spain.

The result ensures that France will secure at least a silver medal, adding to their already impressive Olympic haul.However, the home crowd will be hoping for a golden finish on Friday night as they bid to stand atop the podium for the second time in their history.