• Competition: Olympic Games - Quarter-Finals
• Date: Friday, 2nd, August 2024
• Kickoff: 20:00 UK / 21.00 CEST
• Venue: Matmut Atlantique (Bordeaux)

All eyes will be on Matmut Atlantique this Friday as top contenders France and Argentina clash in a high-stakes battle for a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics semifinals.

As expected, the hosts of this summer's Olympics, France, breezed through their group stage with complete ease, claiming a full nine points from their three matches and joining Japan as the only teams to finish the opening stage without dropping any points. Under Thierry Henry's guidance, the formidable Les Bleus have lofty ambitious to go all the way and become only the third host nation to hang a gold medal around its neck, an achievement last accomplished by Spain 32 years ago at the 1992 Olympics.

On the other side of the pitch, the Argentina national team has struggled with a slow start to the tournament, enduring a 1-2 loss to Morocco, who ultimately emerged as the Group B champions. However, La Seleccion’s response to their opening day setback was exceptional, as they first routinely saw off Iraq 3-1 before picking up an impressive 2-0 win over Ukraine to close out the group stage as runners-up. This is the first time that this South American country has reached the top eight in the tournament since 2008, when they won the gold medal at the Olympics in Beijing.

France U23 vs Argentina U23 Betting Tips: UNDER 2.5

Not only will they logically have roaring support from the stands as tournament hosts, but France has also demonstrated strong championship ambitions thus far, so it is only fitting that they carry the label of slight favorites here. However, clashes between heavyweights in the knockout stages often lead to a goal drought, and such a scenario could be on the cards for Friday, as neither side is likely to take unnecessary risks. Besides achieving their full performance in the group stage, Les Bleus also progressed from their section as the only team to remain unbeaten on goal, racking up an impressive seven goals and keeping clean sheets in all three. 

It is almost certain that Thierry Henry’s squad will take a robust defensive stance to unsettle Argentina’s potent attack, which has shone in their previous two Olympic games by putting five balls in the net. Additionally, La Seleccion’s performances in this tournament have lacked thrill and excitement, with the data showing that five out of their seven Olympic games contained two goals or fewer. Ultimately, we imagine that the French have enough solidity and strength in their defensive ranks to post their fourth shutout in a row and move one step closer to the gold medal with a solitary victory over the South Americans.