Spain tops France in classic for men's soccer gold

PARIS — Spain continued its long-running domination of international soccer in incredible fashion on Friday, claiming the men’s Olympic gold medal with a frantic, frenzied 5-3 extra-time victory over France in a match that included just about everything.

There was an early deficit, a spirited reversal, a blown two-goal lead, a dramatic VAR stoppage-time French penalty and, ultimately, Spanish superiority when it mattered most to leave French coach Thierry Henry, as well as a packed and passionate home crowd at the Parc des Princes, absolutely crushed.

“I’m very happy because our players sacrificed a lot to be here,” Spain coach Santi Denia said, “and they deserve to win the gold medal.”

Henry, the French legend, said, “Obviously this wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but we won a medal.”

He added: “It wasn’t easy to build this team up, but I’m proud of the work we did.”

The match was a watch-it-again-right-now classic, the highest-scoring men’s final in Olympic history. Substitute Sergio Camello ultimately decided it, running onto a beautiful pass from Adrián Bernabé in the 100th minute and delivering a feathery chip over the on-rushing goalkeeper to set off wild celebrations from the Spanish players as Henry turned on his heel in the technical area and the French players simply stared.

Their shock was understandable, as it certainly seemed that they might pull off a magical comeback to claim gold in their country’s capital. Instead, it was Spain — again — who stood atop the medal stand. Fermín López scored twice with Álex Baena also converting a dipping free kick, and Camello added a second, with France pushed all the way forward, just before full time to end it.

“We are the happiest children in the world,” Camello told reporters afterward.

The Olympic gold, which is Spain’s first since the home 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, comes on the heels of Spanish trophies at the men’s Euros earlier this summer as well as the Women’s World Cup a year ago.

Add in titles at both the men’s and women’s U19 European championships last month — not to mention Spanish club teams winning the men’s and women’s Champions League trophies this season — and the soccer universe is very clearly living through a near-total Spanish siege.

“I think there is no secret,” Denia said. “You have to pick the right players. You need to become a family. You have to leave your egos behind and everyone needs to work together.”

Whatever the recipe, it’s working for Spain though the French had designs on breaking the trend. After being booed off the field at halftime trailing 3-1, France had hammered the Spanish goal over and over without reward before finally getting a breakthrough with 11 minutes to play in normal time.

Michael Olise fired a free kick from the flank toward goal that took a deflection off Maghnes Akliouche and nestled into the bottom corner to cut the margin to just one.

Then, off an 89th-minute corner kick, Juan Miranda dragged down Arnaud Kalimuendo at the back post. The ball had soared well beyond them and the referee initially waved away the French protests, but once the VAR suggested an on-field review, the French fans leapt to their feet in anticipation.

Jean-Philippe Mateta, wearing the captain’s armband after Alexandre Lacazette was substituted before the hour as France looked for new energy, calmly drilled the penalty, and France had earned 30 minutes more.

Of course, even reaching that point was an ordeal. After falling behind when Arnau Tenas woefully misplayed Enzo Millot‘s shot in the 12th minute, Spain flipped the game completely around in the middle of the first half. In the space of just 10 minutes, López, the Barcelona wunderkind, scored twice while Baena dipped a marvelous free kick over the wall to shock the French fans, who included France’s senior national team coach Didier Deschamps as well as former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

Deschamps could be seen dropping his head into his hands as France was cut open, but the French worked their way back into the game, surging in first-half stoppage time before continuing the press throughout the second half.

Once they reached extra time with the momentum fully in their favor, it felt as if completion of their fight back was inevitable. But then, in a flash, it happened: Bernabé dropped his shoulder. Camello ran through. And the Spanish danced together once more.

“It is an amazing dream come true,” forward Abel Ruiz said. “Winning gold here is something that means a lot to all of us. Over the last weeks, we’ve been fighting and working to achieve our dream so we’re very, very proud.”