ORO ROJO

Camello’s extra time brace secures gold for Spain in Olympic humdinger.

"We are the happiest children in the world.”

While France’s manager Thierry Henry may have World Cup and European Championship medals to his name, Olympic gold is not one on his CV. Assuming the role of head coach for Paris ‘24, there was now only one game between his squad and glory. Gifted with an attacking trident of Alexandre Lacazette, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Bayern Munich’s summer signing Michael Olise, the hosts rolled into Saturday’s final against Spain as favourites. As La Marseillaise sounded out inside the Parc des Princes, few, if any, could have predicted the game ahead.

Les Bleus took advantage early, as Spain failed to clear their lines. The ball fell to Enzo Millot, and his shot squirmed through the hands of Arnau Tenas. It wasn’t a moment La Roja’s goalkeeper would want to see back either, with it looking as if he had preempted the near post shot too early and got his positioning all wrong. A truly bizarre decision that was completely self-inflicted, Tenas had wrongfooted himself to hand France the lead. The Parc des Princes burst into song, with the overwhelming majority inside PSG’s home stadium favouring the host nation. For a short while, the atmosphere was unerringly buoyant.

Seven minutes later, and pretty much out of nowhere, Spain scored. With their first chance of the game, Barcelona youngster Fermin drifted into the box and swept a cool finish under the body of Guillaume Restes. France’s marking was suspect at best, with it seeming as if nobody had any interest of tracking Spain’s tournament top scorer as he darted forward. The result of said move suggested that it had been a very bad idea. 1-1.

This was a final being played at a high octane pace, with both sides looking to strut their respective stuff. The corner strategy had worked well for France throughout this tournament, with Mateta’s quarter final winner against Argentina perhaps the most notable. It was something that they decided to attack again, with Olise finding his former Crystal Palace teammate minutes after La Roja’s equaliser, however his header found its way into the welcoming hands of Tenas.

Flying down the left wing, the rasping cross of Spain’s Juan Miranda was met by charging captain Abel Ruiz. Running across the front post, his finish ricocheted off the body of Restes in-between France’s sticks. The drop was kind to Spain. Sneaking in at the backpost? That man again. Fermin Lopez scuttled towards the rebound and tapped into the net from four yards out. In what seemed like a moment’s notice, La Roja had compounded France’s misery and completely turned the game on its head.

France’s defence appeared shell-shocked, unable to stop yellow shirts flooding forward. Three minutes later, Loic Bade hacked down Miranda, with the Bologna man yet again gliding past France’s midfield like a hot knife through butter. Alex Baena stepped up and executed to absolute perfection. His free kick curled right over the wall, with Restes nothing more than a statuesque outlooker. It should be noted that Manu Kone, the only man in France’s wall who decided not to jump, likely would’ve blocked the shot if he had chosen to take flight for a brief moment. Alas, it was an error that gave Spain a two goal lead. The camera panned Henry, yet the former Arsenal legend remained stony-faced.

Spain were swarming. France had no answer to Fermin’s forays as the midfielder drilled a pass through to the unrepentantly overlapping Miranda, who forced Restes to block with his leg. It was painfully evident that Les Bleus’ central area couldn’t handle Spain’s verve and pace, as chance after chance formed for their southern neighbours. It appeared as if half time couldn’t arrive soon enough, but as the board was raised to show seven minutes of additional time, the French sprung into life once more.

A truly sensational save saw Tenas acrobatically tip over a point blank Mateta header, before the ensuing corner resulted in Olise narrowly curling a finish wide of the far post. The prior had resulted in observable celebrations from Spanish defenders, and replays would only highlight the cat like reactions of Spain’s number one, atoning for his earlier mistake. A lively crowd bayed for more, and who could blame them? Magnetic throughout, the scheduled fifteen minute recess was less than welcome.

While the hosts showed signs of positivity as the sides returned to the pitch, Henry and France’s coaching staff didn’t leave it long to make changes. Joris Chotard and captain Alex Lacazette were sacrificed all but six minutes into the second half, with Maghnes Akliouche and Arnaud Kalimuendo the selected replacements. Spain did seem happy to drop off slightly, but their passing remained slick and Les Bleus’ frantic style could not find its best version. Much like the triumphant senior side earlier this summer, La Roja were managing the game with composed possession and dictation of tempo. Without doubt, France needed the ball at the feet of their creative stars.

That was were the opportunities were to arise from, as the brilliant play of Adrien Truffert offered a cross that Manu Kone rose to meet. The Monchengladbach man made solid contact, but he was ever so slightly ahead of ball at the moment of impact, and his header could only meet with the bar. An hour played and France were growing in confidence. A fantastic through ball from substitute Kalimuendo slid in Mateta, but the striker failed to make clean contact and his finish rolled towards Tenas. Bodies began to fly everywhere as Les Bleus cranked up through the gears, Spain knocking clearances left, right and centre.

Opportunity again presented for France, with Kone’s low driven shot fantastically tipped around the post by an increasingly busy Tenas. Goalscorer Millot then did well to find space down the byline, but his shot was blazed over the top. Spain would wait no longer, with a double switch of their own. Magic man Fermin was off, along with Marc Pubill. Adrian Bernabe and Juanlu Sanchez were entrusted by Santi Denia to help guide the final home. France reacted with Desire Doue on for Enzo Millot. It was a change the crowd welcomed, with a raucous noise made for the teenager who ran the semi final against Egypt.

They soon found the breakthrough. Olise’s freekick from wide right was drilled in with pace, somehow finding its way into the net after moving through all-comers. The goal was credited to Akliouche, but it would take an eagle eye to tell if it had met his foot or that of Juan Miranda. Either way, France’s tails were up and the Parisian crowd were extremely loud. Spain went to the cavalry again, Benat Turrientes and Sergio Camello on for goalscorer Alex Baena and frontman Abel Ruiz. A few minutes later, Aimar Oroz switched for Jon Pacheco. It very much appeared as if they were looking to close the shop.

As the clock began to bleed, France’s cried for a penalty. Kalimuendo claimed he was held at a corner by the newly introduced Turrientes, and the replays suggested he had a case. Originally ignored by the match official, Rafael da Silva Alves was ushered to the VAR monitor. Spot kick given. Standing over the ball, Jean-Philippe Mateta. Les Bleus’ main man had the pressure of a nation of his shoulders. Ninety three minutes up, France held a collective breath.

Cool as you like. 3-3.

If the Parc des Princes was loud before, it roared now. Allez Les Bleus likely heard throughout the south west suburbs of France’s capital. A moment of extreme fear crept in though, as Turrientes almost went from zero to hero for La Roja. The ball dropped to him inside the box, and a swinging left foot sent it goalwards. Flying past Restes, his shot cannoned off the woodwork and over. Remarkably, it wasn’t even the last chance, as Olise’s fine footwork allowed him to dance down the line before his shot was parried by Tenas. Quite fittingly, an utterly insane game would give us more. Extra time awaited.

The introduction of Kalimuendo was causing Spain all sorts of problems, while also opening up space for Mateta and Olise. The forward’s direct running widened the pitch and gave Les Bleus a much needed out ball as legs began to fatigue. Juan Miranda had run himself into the ground, and Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez was needed to negate such a persistent threat. Yet, this game surprised once more. Against the run of play, a beautiful passing move found Sergio Camello, and the substitute sumptuously dinked the ball over an onrushing Restes. Soaking up France’s pressure much like they did in the burgeoning stages of this contest, La Roja had stolen the lead again.

Desire Doue appeared to be the man France looked to, with the midfielder fizzing in a shot at goal. It was another heart in mouth moment for Spain, with the power of his strike almost squirming its way through Tenas and over the line. Much like half an hour earlier, France had fifteen minutes to recover the situation. Orders were barked out at the break, with both teams looking to regain energy zapped in the opening act of extra time. France plumped for Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa, as the all action Manu Kone trudged towards his side’s bench.

Sergio Gomez fired in a sighter, with Restes tipping around the post for a corner. France needed the ball, and they needed it at the other end of the pitch. Moments later, the Spaniard used his strength to body check an advancing Doue, and screams for another penalty waved away by the Brazilian referee. France were running out of options, but they still had one in the tank. Lyon's Rayan Cherki was selected by Henry, as defender Kiliann Sildillia made way. It was time to go for broke.

It was glaring that legs were tiring, and France needed more. Olise’s corner lacked power and was easily claimed by Tenas, Cherki and Nagassa’s following shots travelled straight down the barrel. For all their efforts, Les Bleus’ wending and meandering runs only found dead ends. Throwing the kitchen sink, they were caught cold. Tenas pulled out his best Tom Brady impression, quarterbacking an absolute laser down field, gifting Camello a run towards Restes unopposed. The Rayo Vallecano man kept his composure once more, with another lofted finish bouncing its way into the net. A standby player before this tournament began, the forward had found himself centre stage, sinking the dagger into French hearts. As his squadmates charged across the pitch to celebrate, the final whistle sounded.

Spain 5-3 France.

The hosts crestfallen. La Roja golden.

Camello’s extra time brace secures gold for Spain in Olympic humdinger.

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