Juanlu Sanchez came off the bench to propel Spain to a record-equaling fifth Olympic men’s soccer final on Monday. Sanchez scored in the 85th minute at Stade de Marseille, securing a 2-1 victory over Morocco and setting up a final against either France or Egypt.
Morocco initially led 1-0 at halftime, with Soufiane Rahimi, the tournament’s leading scorer, converting a penalty in the 37th minute. Spain equalized in the 65th minute when Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez showed quick footwork and fired a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, marking his fourth goal of the tournament. Lopez’s over-exuberant celebrations earned him a yellow card after he kicked and broke the corner flag.
Lopez also assisted Sanchez’s winning goal, which was swept low into the far corner. Spain, which won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, was the runner-up at the Tokyo Games three years ago, losing to Brazil in the final.
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