PARIS, (Reuters) – Spain secured the gold medal in the Olympic men’s football tournament after substitute Sergio Camello scored twice in extra time to earn a dramatic 5-3 win over hosts France in a nail-biting final at Parc des Princes yesterday.
The teams were locked at 3-3 at the end of normal time but Camello scored 10 minutes into the extra period and again at the end to earn Spain their first Olympic men’s football title since 1992 when La Roja claimed the gold medal on home soil.
France had mounted an incredible comeback after going 3-1 down to send the game to extra time as Maghnes Akliouche pulled a goal back in the 79th before a VAR review awarded the hosts a penalty that Jean-Philippe Mateta converted in stoppage time.
Spain rallied in the first half after Enzo Millot opened the scoring for France in the 12th minute by scoring three goals in 10 minutes to get within touching distance of the title thanks to a Fermin Lopez double and superb free-kick from Alex Baena.
“Such a long-suffering match deserved tears of joy. They have worked for 40 days as a family,” Spain coach Santi Denia told Spanish broadcaster TVE.
“It was very evenly matched. France push you back, they play very well. It’s down to small details that we won the match. We also did it with a lot of spirit.”
France’s Millot scored early by pouncing on a loose ball in the box to fire into the top left corner after a poor attempted block by Spain goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.
Spain equalised six minutes later when the unmarked Lopez passed the ball into the net first-time from the centre of the box and the Barcelona midfielder gave his side the lead with his second after a save by keeper Guiillaume Restes in the 25th.
Baena curled his free kick into the top left corner just before the half hour but France made it 3-2 11 minutes from time through Akliouche’s close-range touch after a set piece.
As Spain looked set to celebrate winning the title, the drama really began when the referee was called to the TV screen to check on a foul by Benat Turrientes on fellow substitute Arnaud Kalimuendo in the penalty area.
A spot kick was awarded and Mateta equalised with his sixth goal of the tournament to send the French fans into raptures.
In extra time, with Spain having already taken off Lopez and Baena, Thierry Henry’s French team pushed for a winner.
But it was Spain’s Camello who scored by lobbing the ball on the run over the stranded Restes before sealing the win after a brilliant save by the keeper in the final seconds.
