Juanlu Sanchez Sends Spain to Record-Equaling Olympic Final with Late Winner

Juanlu Sanchez came off the bench to propel Spain into a record-equaling fifth Olympic men's soccer final on Monday.

Sanchez scored in the 85th minute, securing a 2-1 victory over Morocco at Stade de Marseille and setting up a showdown with France in the Paris Games final.

"The moment passed so fast that I didn't even realize it, but then when you realized that you scored the goal that puts your team in the final, well, I'm really happy," Sanchez said.

Morocco initially led 1-0 at halftime after Soufiane Rahimi, the tournament's leading scorer, converted a penalty in the 37th minute.

Spain equalized in the 65th minute when Fermin Lopez displayed quick footwork in the box and scored with a low left-footed shot.

Lopez then assisted Sanchez's winning goal, which was expertly placed into the far corner.

"I think that my goal changed a bit the match, and I think it was a great match for the whole team and we deserved it," Lopez said. "And here we are."

Spain, which won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, is looking to make up for its loss to Brazil in the final at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

The men's senior team also had a successful year, winning the European Championship last month.

"It's basically a World Cup for the under 23s," Spain coach Santi Denia said about the upcoming gold medal match on Friday at Parc des Princes in Paris.

For Morocco, it was another painful semifinal loss.

The team will face Egypt for the bronze medal on Thursday in Nantes.

Morocco became the first Arab and African nation to reach the semifinals of the World Cup in 2022, where they finished fourth.

"We were really motivated today to play in the final. What has happened has happened," Morocco coach Tarik Sektioui said.

"And now we must be focused on the next game. There is a medal to be won. That's not nothing for us. It's very important for us that we return to Morocco from this tournament with a medal."

Playing in front of a spirited crowd mostly comprised of Morocco supporters, the team threatened another upset after already defeating Argentina in the group stage.

Rahimi, who had scored five goals before the match, increased his total to six with a calm penalty shot down the middle past Spain's goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.

Spain nearly levelled the score in first-half stoppage time when Alex Baena's 25-yard shot was deflected onto the outside of the post.

The equalizer came through Lopez's clinical finish—his fourth goal of the tournament.

His enthusiastic celebration, which involved kicking the corner flag and breaking it in two, earned him a yellow card.

Morocco almost secured a late winner before Sanchez sealed Spain's victory.

Spain has won silver on three occasions, with their only gold coming in 1992.

Brazil is the only other men's team to have played in five finals at the Olympics, including the past three.

Spain's women's team is also in the semifinals and will face Brazil on Tuesday in Marseille.