U.S. men’s soccer team reaches first Olympics quarterfinal in 24 years

This year’s U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team already made history by reaching the tournament for the first time since 2008. On Tuesday, it wrote another great chapter, booking its first trip to the quarterfinals since 2000 with a 3-0 win over Guinea.

Djordje Mihailovic opened the scoring with a bull’s-eye free kick in the 14th minute; Medford’s Paxten Aaronson sprung Kevin Paredes for a terrific goal in the 31st; and Union midfielder Jack McGlynn teed up Paredes for a game-sealing smash in the 75th.

“We’re so happy to have the ball,” Paredes told reporters at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille. “We’re so happy to play together. In these past couple games, it really showed.”

He admitted that he was “very, very tired” in the late minutes, “but once the ball got into that position, I just had to smack it.”

That was a memorable quote for what has become a memorable run.

The 2000 U.S. squad included many players who went on to greater heights, including Landon Donovan, Josh Wolff, John O’Brien, Tim Howard, Middletown’s Ben Olsen, and Philadelphia’s Chris Albright. We’ll have to wait to see how many of this year’s Olympians do the same, especially since many stars of the senior U.S. team are still young.

But this Olympic team has already achieved a feat that no U.S. men’s squad has in a century of Olympic participation: two group-stage wins. Thursday’s victory followed a 4-1 rout of New Zealand, giving the Americans six points (2-1-0) and second place in Group A.

» READ MORE: Nathan Harriel and Paxten Aaronson led the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team’s 4-1 rout of New Zealand

The group winner was no surprise: host France won all three of its contests, including a 3-0 victory over the U.S. But the tournament’s other groups have been full of drama, and that has created some surprising quarterfinal matchups.

Morocco won Group B and will be the Americans’ quarterfinal opponent on Friday at Paris’ fabled Parc des Princes (9 a.m., USA Network, Telemundo 62, Peacock). The Atlas Lions upset pretournament favorite Argentina in controversial fashion on the Olympics’ opening day, were upset themselves by Ukraine, then cruised past Iraq on Tuesday.

Though Morocco doesn’t have the individual star power of Argentina and Manchester City striker Julián Álvarez, it has plenty of firepower and a marquee leader in Paris Saint-Germain right back Achraf Hakimi. His teammates from leagues in France, Spain, Italy, and more have delivered six goals in three games.

» READ MORE: U.S. men’s soccer team beaten by France, 3-0, in Paris Olympics opener

One of those players has American roots: forward Amir Richardson, of French club Reims. The 22-year-old midfielder’s father, Micheal Ray Richardson, was the No. 4 pick in the 1978 NBA draft and played in the league for eight seasons. Amir’s mother is French-Moroccan, and though the U.S. recruited him at one point, he chose to play for Morocco.

The Morocco-U.S. winner will play Group C runner-up Spain — which was upset, 2-1, by group winner Egypt on Tuesday — or Group D winner Japan in the semifinals.

A Japan-Spain quarterfinal brings back memories of meetings at the 2022 men’s World Cup and 2023 women’s World Cup, both Japan wins in surprising results. Spain got some revenge on the women’s side of these Olympics with a 2-1 win in the group stage.

On the other side of the bracket, France will play Argentina in one quarterfinal, a matchup loaded with spice. Not only did those nations contest the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, but Argentina recently sparked outrage when some of its Copa América-winning players sang a song with a racist lyric about the French.

Argentina recovered from its opening loss with two wins afterward. Remarkably, the Albiceleste and Morocco finished with the same points total (6 from 2-1-0 records), goal difference (+3), and goals scored (6), so the head-to-head result broke the standings tie.

The France-Argentina winner will play Egypt or Group D runner-up Paraguay.

» READ MORE: Meet the players on the first U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team in 16 years

The top two teams in each group advanced.

1. France, 9 points (3-0-0); 2. United States, 6 (2-1-0); 3. New Zealand, 3 (1-2-0); 4. Guinea, 0 (0-3-0)

1. Morocco, 6 (2-1-0), +3 goal difference, 6 goals scored; 2. Argentina, 6 (2-1-0), +3 GD, 6 GS (lost head-to-head result tiebreaker); 3. Ukraine, 3 (1-2-0), -2 GD; 4. Iraq, 3 (1-2-0), -4

1. Egypt, 7 (2-0-1); 2. Spain 6 (2-1-0) 3. Dominican Republic, 2 (0-1-2); 4. Uzbekistan, 1 (0-2-1)

1. Japan, 9 (3-0-0); 2. Paraguay, 6 (2-1-0); 3. Mali, 1 (0-2-1), -2 GD; 4. Israel, 1 (0-2-1), -3 GD

All times listed are Philadelphia time. TV listings are subject to change.

All games are Friday.

9 a.m.: 1B. Morocco vs. 2A. United States at Paris (USA Network, Telemundo 62, Peacock)

11 a.m.: 1D. Japan vs. 2C. Spain at Lyon (Universo, Peacock)

1 p.m.: 1C. Egypt vs. 2D. Paraguay at Marseille (Telemundo 62, Peacock)

3 p.m.: 1A. France vs. 2B. Argentina at Bordeaux (Telemundo 62, Peacock)

Both games are Monday.

Noon: Morocco or United States vs. Japan or Spain at Marseille (E!, Telemundo 62, Peacock)

3 p.m.: France or Argentina vs. Egypt or Paraguay at Lyon (USA Network joined in progress, Telemundo 62, Peacock)

Aug. 8, 11 a.m.: TBD vs. TBD at Nantes (English TV TBD, Telemundo 62, Peacock)

Aug. 9, noon: TBD vs. TBD at Paris (USA Network, Telemundo 62, Peacock)