On July 30 at 9 PM, the final round of Group C matches in the 2024 Paris Olympic men’s football tournament will see Spain U23 face off against Egypt U23. Spain U23 has already secured their place in the next round with two consecutive wins, while Egypt U23 currently sits second with four points from one win and one draw. A draw or better in their final match against Spain U23 would ensure Egypt U23’s qualification.
In the first two rounds of the group stage, Spain U23’s performance was impressive. They started with a 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan U23 and then defeated Dominican Republic U23 3-1, securing their spot in the next round. Over these two matches, Spain U23 averaged 2.5 goals per game, making them the second-highest scoring team (behind Japan U23, which averaged three goals per game). A draw in their final match would guarantee them top spot in the group.
It is worth noting that Spain U23 conceded a goal in each of their matches. To progress further, they need to improve their defensive play. Spanish defender Kukacsi received yellow cards in both of the group stage matches and will be suspended for the final group match against Egypt U23. This will undoubtedly affect Spain U23’s defense. However, Spain U23 has a wealth of talent on defense, including Eric Garcia and Juan Miranda, both of whom participated in the Tokyo Olympics and won silver medals. Additionally, players like Baena and Fermin, who recently won the European Championship with the senior Spanish team, are in good form and scored in the last match.
Egypt U23 secured one win and one draw in their first two group stage matches, drawing 0-0 with the Dominican Republic U23 in the first match and defeating Uzbekistan U23 1-0 in the second. Although Egypt U23 kept clean sheets in both matches, they only managed to score once. Statistically, they had 22 shots across the two games but only scored once, an inefficient conversion rate. Improving their attacking efficiency will be crucial for Egypt U23 to secure a win.
While Egypt U23 is currently second in Group C, there is still a possibility they could be eliminated. If they lose their final match, they might be overtaken by the Dominican Republic U23. A draw against Spain U23 would secure them second place in the group. A win would put them at the top of the group. Historically, during the Tokyo Olympics, Egypt U23 and Spain U23 were in the same group and drew when they faced each other, both progressing from the group stage. However, in the knockout stages, Egypt U23 was eliminated in the quarterfinals, while Spain U23 won silver.
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