U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team reaches quarterfinals with 3-0 win over Guinea

SAINT-ETIENNE, France – The U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team is making the most of its first Olympic appearance in 16 years and ensured it will be staying in France thanks to Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat of Guinea at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. (HIGHLIGHTS)

With its second decisive win in four days, the USA clinched second place in Group A and set up a quarterfinal showdown with Morocco on Friday, Aug. 2 at the fabled Parc des Princes in Paris.

Since its 3-0 loss to group-winner France in the opener, the U.S. (2W-1L-0D) has been rampant, getting seven goals from five different players and pulling away early with dominant first-half performances. The Americans struck three times in the first half hour in their 4-1 victory against New Zealand on July 27 and then were ahead by a pair in almost the same juncture against Guinea on Tuesday. Djordje Mihailovic and Kevin Paredes (twice) did the honors for the U.S., while goalkeeper Patrick Schulte made six saves and earned his first Olympic shutout.

As a result, the U.S. is into the quarterfinals at the Olympics for the first time since the famous fourth-place finish in 2000, and for just the second time since the current tournament format was introduced in 1960.

With a quarterfinal berth at stake in Saint-Etienne, U.S. head coach Marko Mitrović made two changes to the line-up that started against New Zealand. Injured midfielder Gianluca Busio was replaced by Greuther Fürth’s Maximilian Dietz. Up front, Griffin Yow, the D.C. United product who plays for Belgium’s Westerlo, earned his first Olympic start after some strong work in reserve. He took Paxten Aaronson’s spot on the left wing, with Aaronson sliding to center forward in place of Duncan McGuire.

The lively Yow demonstrated his value early as the Americans pressed high, attacked quickly and put the Guineans on their heels. Yow had the first U.S. chance when he stole a wayward fourth-minute clearance and lashed an 18-yard shot that forced a leaping save from goalkeeper Soumaïla Sylla.

Ten minutes later, Yow’s nimble turn and dribbling run across the top of the penalty area drew a foul by Guinea’s Bangaly Cissé. Mihailovic, who opened the scoring against New Zealand from the penalty spot, put the Americans ahead once again—this time from much further out. Although stationed outside the left post, the Colorado Rapids star was able to curl an exquisite, bending free kick over the Guinean wall and beyond Sylla’s reach into the upper left corner. The Americans didn’t let up. Tanner Tessman had a good look in the 22nd  and then Yow came close with a side-of-the-foot volley in the 30th.

A minute later, the U.S. doubled its lead with a brisk, well-worked team goal. Tessman and Mihailovic combined to find Aaronson in his more central position and the Utrecht forward ran right and slid a perfect ball through the right channel and into Paredes’ path. The forward took one touch, finished with composure and became the Americans’ record-tying fifth scorer at a single Olympic tournament.

Guinea (0W-3L-0D) didn’t fold, but it was chasing the game absent injured captain Naby Keïta, the overage talisman who won multiple titles at Liverpool. The Americans were committed to limiting Guinea’s attacking threats largely to long-range bids. The Syli National didn’t put a ball on frame until the 41st minute and even as it had more of the ball during a desperate second half, Guinea wound up taking 11 of its 16 shots from beyond the penalty area.

Paredes added the star-spangled exclamation point in the 75th. Mihailovic’s replacement, Jack McGlynn, pulled Guinea’s defense apart with a switch of play to the right. Paredes took a touch back inside, smashed a 16-yard shot inside the right post and sealed the first Olympic brace for an American man since Rick Davis tallied two against Costa Rica at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Schulte preserved his clean sheet with a leaping, stoppage-time save of a Chérif Camara header and the U.S. had its first win over an African team in its Olympic history. More importantly, it ensured a longer stay in France.

The hosts’ 3-0 win over New Zealand in Marseille set the final standings in Group A, while Morocco’s 3-0 defeat of Iraq earlier Tuesday clinched Group B for the Atlas Lions (2W-1L-0D). The USA and Morocco will meet Aug. 2 in the Games’ host city of Paris, with the winner of that match moving on to an Aug. 5 semifinal in Marseille against the survivor of a quarterfinal between Spain and either Japan or Paraguay.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

USA—Djordje Mihailovic, 14th minute: A slick turn and dribbling run by Griffin Yow led to a foul by Guinea’s Bangaly Cissé a couple yards beyond the top of the penalty area. Mihailovic stepped up and curled the ensuing free kick over the four-man Guinean wall and into the upper left corner of the goal. USA 1, GUI 0

USA—Kevin Paredes (Paxten Aaronson), 31st minute: Tanner Tessman won the ball deep in the U.S. half and the counterattack was on. The captain quickly fed Djordje Mihailovic and he then found Aaronson, who delivered a beautiful, first-touch through ball that split two layers of the Guinean defense. Parades ran in behind and was in alone, finishing cleanly with his left foot from about 15 yards. USA 2, GUI 0

USA—Kevin Paredes (Jack McGlynn), 75th minute: Reserve midfielder Jack McGlynn hit a smart switch to Parades on the right, and the agile winger did the rest. He took a touch toward the center of the penalty area then ripped a hard, 16-yard shot that glanced off a Guinean defender and beat substitute goalie Mory Keïta at the right post. USA 3, GUI 0 FINAL

Additional Notes:

• The USA advances to the knockout stage for the first time since Sydney 2000. It’s the second time that the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team has advanced from the group since the current tournament format was introduced at Rome 1960.
• The U.S. has reached the quarterfinals of the Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament for the third time in its 100-year history at the Games, dating back to Paris 1924 (Paris 2024, Sydney 2000, Melbourne 1956).
• The 3-0 win marked the USA’s third shutout victory since Barcelona 1992 and fourth all-time at the Olympics. It’s the fifth clean sheet that the U.S. has kept at the Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament.
• The USA’s seven goals (through three games) at Paris 2024 rank second-most all-time across its 14 appearances at the Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament behind Sydney 2000 (eight goals in five games).
• The U.S. is now 1W-0L-0D all-time vs. Guinea at the Olympics.
• The USA is now 6W-4L-5D in the group stage since the Under-23 rule was introduced in 1992.
• Midifelder Djordje Mihailovic opened the scoring, becoming the seventh player to score in multiple games for the U.S. Men at the Olympics and first since midfielder Sacha Kljestan at Beijing 2008.
• Mihailovic is also the eighth player to score multiple goals for the U.S. at the Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament. Forward Kevin Paredes became the ninth with his brace tonight.
• Paredes is just the second player to score two goals in a game for the U.S. at the Olympics, following Rick Davis in the group stage vs. Costa Rica at Los Angeles 1984.
• Paredes’ tallies made him the USA’s fifth scorer at Paris 2024, matching the U.S. Men’s record for most scorers at the Olympics (five at Sydney 2000, Barcelona 1992).
• Midfielder Josh Atencio made his Olympic debut vs. Guinea, marking the 18th debut of the tournament.
• Atencio replaced the unavailable Gianluca Busio (leg injury). Busio may be re-inserted into the 18-man squad once his medical condition allows.
• The Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament is restricted to players under the age of 23, with an allowance for three overage players. All three U.S. overage players started tonight: Djordje Mihailovic (25 years old), Miles Robinson (27) and Walker Zimmerman (31).
• Tanner Tessmann captained the squad tonight, his eighth time wearing the armband over this cycle’s 10 games. He’s served as captain in every match for the Olympic Men’s Soccer Team since Nov. 18 vs. Iraq.
• Robinson and Zimmerman have paired together in central defense for the senior USMNT and the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team 12 times, compiling an 9-2-1 combined record. All USMNT matches came in official competition (2021 Concacaf Gold Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying) plus the first three matches at Paris 2024.
• Ten of 11 players in the Starting XI played in Major League Soccer or developed in a MLS academy. In addition to current MLS clubs, members of the squad also spent time with the following MLS or MLS Next outfits: Aaronson (Philadelphia Union), Harriel (Chargers SC), Mihailovic (Chicago Fire FC, CF Montreal), Paredes (D.C. United, Bethesda SC), Robinson (Atlanta United FC, FC Greater Boston Bolts), Tessmann (FC Dallas), Yow (D.C. United) and Zimmerman (FC Dallas, LAFC).

-U.S. MEN’S OLYMPIC SOCCER TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Men’s Olympic Soccer Team vs. Guinea
Date: July 30, 2024
Competition: 2024 Olympics Men’s Soccer Tournament – Group A
Venue: Stade Geoffroy-Guichard; Marseille, France
Attendance: –
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
Weather: 84 degrees, mostly cloudy

Scoring Summary:             1               2               F
USA                                      2               1               3
GUI                                       0               0               0

USA – Djordje Mihailovic                                      14th minute
USA – Kevin Paredes (Paxten Aaronson)            31st minute
USA – Kevin Paredes (Jack McGlynn)                 75th minute

Lineups:

USA: 1-Patrick Schulte, 2-Nathan Harriel, 3-Walker Zimmerman, 12-Miles Robinson, 5-John Tolkin; 8-Tanner Tessmann (Capt.), 4-Maximilian Dietz (21-Josh Atencio 52’), 14-Djordje Mihailovic (16-Jack McGlynn, 52’); 7-Kevin Paredes (17-Caleb Wiley, 78’), 11-Paxten Aaronson (13-Duncan McGuire, 66’), 9-Griffin Yow (10-Taylor Booth, 66’)

Substitutes: 18-Gaga Slonina, 15-Benjamin Cremaschi

Head coach: Marko Mitrović

GUI: 1-Soumaïla Sylla (16-Mory Keita, 45’); 3-Bangaly Cissé (2-Naby Oularé, 28’), 4-Mohamed Soumah, 13-Madiou Keita; 7-Aliou Baldé, 17-Abdoulaye Touré, 6-Amadou Diawara (15-Issiaga Camara, 63’), 14-Amadou Diallo (20-Cherif Camara 85’); 11-Ousmane Camara, 12-Algassime Bah (9-Henry Camara, 63’), 10-Ilaix Moriba

Substitutes: 8-Naby Keïta, 18-Sékou Tidiany Bangoura

Head coach: Kaba Diawara

Stats Summary: USA / GUI
Shots: 14 / 17
Shots on Goal: 9 / 6
Saves: 6 / 6
Corner Kicks: 6 / 6
Fouls: 8 / 9
Offside: 4 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Maximilian Dietz (Caution) 37th minute

Officials: 
Referee: Tess Olofsson (SWE)
Assistant Referee 1: Almira Spahic (SWE)
Assistant Referee 2: Francesca Di Monte (ITA)
Fourth Official: Enda Klarlund (DENI)