Eight captivating contests make up matchday two of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, with a plethora of sides looking to power their way into the knockouts. Hosts France could secure their berth against Guinea if results go their way, while Argentina are looking to bounce back from opening-day defeat when they take on Iraq. Elsewhere, Spain can punch their ticket to the next phase with victory over Dominican Republic, with Japan looking to do the same against Mali.
Men’s Olympic Football Tournament fixtures: Saturday, 27 July
Group A
New Zealand v USA
Stade de Marseille
Kick-off: 19:00 (all kick-offs in local time)
Facts and figures
Following their victory over Guinea on matchday one, New Zealand are looking to win back-to-back matches at the Games for the first time.
This will be the first time USA have played against OFC opposition at the Olympics.
Quote
“It was a tough result against France [a 3-0 defeat] but the message is to learn from the past no matter what – and to move forward with a winning mentality. New Zealand is a strong team but we’ll prepare and try to get the result we want.”
Tanner Tessmann, USA captain
France v Guinea
Stade de Nice
Kick-off: 21:00
Facts and figures
Hosts France are aiming to start the Games with back-to-back wins for the first time since Montreal 1976, when they hit four past Mexico and Guatemala.
The only other time Guinea have faced European opposition at the Olympics was also against France, with Les Bleus running out 3-1 winners at Mexico City 1968.
Quote
“The match against New Zealand [a 2-1 defeat] is behind us. We’re going to have to be effective in all areas of the game, and that’s going to be more difficult against France. We’re going to have to be realistic, defend well, stick together and, if we get the chance, we have to hurt them. Each of us is going to have to outdo ourselves and give more.”
Algassime Bah, Guinea forward
Group B
Argentina v Iraq
Stade de Lyon
Kick-off: 15:00
Facts and figures
Lionel Messi was the last player to score a first-half goal for Argentina at Olympics. It came en route to gold in a quarter-final win over the Netherlands at Beijing 2008.
Iraq have lost just two of their previous ten group-stage matches at the Games.
Quote
“We will rest now, and then we will start analysing the Argentine team. They need to win to keep their hopes of advancing to the next round alive, so the match will be very tough.”
Radhi Shenaishil, Iraq manager
Ukraine v Morocco
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Kick-off: 17:00
Facts and figures
Valentyn Rubchynskyi netted Ukraine’s first-ever goal at this tournament last time out, in their 2-1 defeat to Iraq.
Morocco have never beaten a European team at the Games in 11 previous attempts.
Quote
“I watched highlights of the Argentina v Morocco game and they’re both really good teams and very dangerous. We’ll try to watch the mistakes they made in the previous game and use that knowledge to our advantage on the pitch.”
Maksym Talovierov, Ukraine defender
Group C
Dominican Republic v Spain
Stade de Bordeaux
Kick-off: 15:00
Facts and figures
Dominican Republic are searching for a maiden goal and victory at the Games, following their 0-0 draw with Egypt on matchday one.
Spain are aiming to start a tournament with successive wins for the first time since their gold-medal winning campaign at Barcelona 1992.
Uzbekistan v Egypt
Stade de la Beaujoire
Kick-off: 17:00
Facts and figures
Uzbekistan are looking to win their first match at the Games in what is their debut tournament.
Egypt have lost just one of their previous six group-stage matches.
Quote
“Our focus has already turned to the next match and we will analyse how we can improve. Hopefully we can build on the positive things we did against Spain. We have a fight on our hands but we will prepare as well as we can.”
Timur Kapadze, Uzbekistan coach
Group D
Israel v Paraguay
Parc des Princes
Kick-off: 19:00
Facts and figures
Israel are on the hunt to win an Olympic match for the first time since a 3-1 victory against El Salvador at Mexico City 1968.
A stunning 36 goals have been scored across Paraguay’s previous nine Olympic matches.
Quote
“We have to put the first match behind us and try to get a win in the second game. These guys are very strong. They’re a very strong team, they pick themselves up from all the knocks. We’re going to talk about that – in this game it’s the rises that count, not the falls.”
Carlos Jara Saguier, Paraguay coach
Japan v Mali
Stade de Bordeaux
Kick-off: 21:00
Facts and figures
Japan’s 5-0 victory over Paraguay last time out was their biggest win at the Olympics.
Mali are undefeated in normal time at the Games. Their only defeat to date came in extra time against Italy in the quarter-finals of Athens 2004.
Quote
“We did well to win our first match but that counts for nothing if we lose the next one. We’re preparing now as well as we can for this next match (against Mail).”
Shota Fujio, Japan forward
