For the first time in 24 years, the United States men’s Olympic soccer team will play for a spot in the medal round.
The U.S. advanced to the quarterfinals at Paris 2024 with a 3-0 win over Guinea on Tuesday in Saint-Étienne in the last group stage game for both teams. With two wins and a loss in the first round, the Americans finished second among the four entrants in Group A, behind tournament host and gold medal favorite France. Les Blues beat New Zealand on Tuesday to stay perfect at these Olympics. The U.S. will now meet Morocco on Friday in the French capital.
Djordje Mihailović scored the only goal the U.S. would need 13 minutes into the contest at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, when he curled a perfect free kick into the upper corner of the Guinean net.
Kevin Paredes added an insurance tally when he ran on to a brilliant pass by Paxton Aaronson and slotted the ball under Elephants goalkeeper Sylla Soumaila at the half-hour mark. Paredes completed the rout with another goal – and his side’s third – late in the second half.
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Here are a few quick takeaways from Tuesday’s match.
Play of the game
Mihailović’s strike was a beauty. With left-footed left back John Tolkin lined up as a decoy to prevent Soumaila from cheating to his near post, the Colorado Rapids play-maker stepped up and sent his right-footed drive over Guinea’s wall and under the crossbar, which the shot kissed before crossing the line to send the Americans on their way to the business end of the 16-team competition:
Turning point
A 1-0 lead is never comfortable, especially against an opponent that hadn’t trailed by more than a single goal over its first 211 minutes at these Summer Games.
Paredes gave his team some welcome breathing room when he doubled the Americans’ advantage. Mihailović started the play when he found Aaronson in central midfield, and the Philadelphia-area native sent Paredes in alone on Soumaila with a no-look feed:
Key stat
U.S. coach Marko Mitrović made two changes from the lineup that started Saturday’s 4-1 win over New Zealand. Maximilian Dietz replaced injured midfielder Gianluca Busio, with Griffin Yow spelling forward Duncan McGuire. Yow, in particular, was superb on Tuesday, creating danger routinely and hitting the post twice in the first half. Had he been a little more clinical, the final score would’ve been even more one-sided in favor of the Stars and Stripes. Tuesday’s triumph still marked the American men’s first win over an African foe in four tries at the Olympics all-time.
What’s next for the U.S.?
A delicious quarterfinal tangle with Morocco at Parc des Princes, the iconic home stadium of Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. The Americans will be the underdogs in front of a packed crowd that will overwhelmingly favor the Atlas Lions, essentially turning the contest into an away game for the U.S. Morocco, which in 2022 became the first African nation ever to reach a World Cup semifinal, rode that wave of expatriate support to first place in Group B after upsetting Argentina in its Olympic opener.
What’s next for Guinea?
While the West African country of 14 million people lost all three of its games in its Olympic debut, the Elephants can hold their heads high. Guinea, which has never qualified for a World Cup, suffered a narrow defeat to New Zealand and then gave Les Bleus all they could handle last weekend before eventually falling 1-0 on a 75th minute strike last weekend.
Guinea is a team on the rise, having advanced to the knockout stage at three consecutive African Nations Cups — including a quarterfinal appearance last year. With the 2026 World Cup expanded to 48 participants, don’t be surprised if Guinea makes history by finally earning a spot in soccer’s biggest event.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports who has covered the United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him at @ByDougMcIntyre.
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