The USMNT have reached the knockout rounds at the Paris Olympics, advancing to the quarter-finals with a comfortable 3-0 over Guinea on Tuesday. It marks the first time they’ve reached the final eight of the tournament since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
At an almost empty Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, midfielder Đorđe Mihailović opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a curling free-kick from the edge of the box.
Kevin Paredes added two goals either side of the half to ensure the US would end a 24-year wait to reach the knockout phase.
The left-winger scored his first after a surging run down the right, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Soumaïla Sylla in the 31st minute. He tagged on a second in the 75th minute, rifling home a cross from fullback Jack McGlynn. The two goals make Paredes the first US men’s player to score twice in an Olympic game since Rick Davis in 1984.
After losing their opening match against favorites France, the US were much improved in their next two group games. They thumped New Zealand 4-1 and closed with their most complete performance of the tournament in sweltering heat against Guinea.
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The US finished second in Group A behind France, who beat New Zealand 3-0 on Tuesday. Next up in the quarters are Morocco, who the US will face in Paris on Friday.