USA vs. Morocco live score, result, updates from USMNT in Olympic men's soccer quarterfinals

The U.S. men have reached the Olympic knockout stage for just the second time in history, beginning their push for a first-ever medal in the modern iteration of the games as they meet Morocco in the quarterfinals.

While the United States women have an illustrious history at the Olympics, the men have struggled overall in their quest for global relevance. The Americans have not medaled since the first-ever tournament held in St. Louis in 1904 when the existence of only three competitors made it impossible for them not to finish atop the podium.

Thanks to Morocco's controversial victory over Argentina in the opening group match, the U.S. men avoided a quarterfinal matchup with the Albiceleste and instead drew Morocco, who were considered a distant fourth-favorite to win the gold medal prior to the tournament behind the three established contenders in France, Spain, and Argentina.

The winner of this match would face the winner of Japan and Spain, two strong medal contenders, in the semifinals.

The Sporting News is following the USA vs. Morocco match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

USA vs. Morocco live score

Kickoff: 3 p.m. local (9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT)
Location: Parc des Princes (Paris, France)
Referee: Yael Falcon Perez (ARG)

Starting lineups:

USA (4-3-3, right to left): Schulte (GK) — Harriel, M. Robinson, Zimmerman, Tolkin — McGlynn (Atencio, 71'), Mihailovic (McGuire, 66'), Tessman — Paredes, P. Aaronson, Yow (Booth, 66').

Morocco (4-3-3, right to left): Munir (GK) — Hakimi, El Azzoui, Boukamir, El Ouahdi — A. Richardson, Targhalline, El Khannous — Akhomach, Rahimi, Ezzalzouli.

MORE: A look at the history of USA men's soccer at the Summer Olympics

USA vs. Morocco live updates, highlights from Olympics

75th min: Paxten Aaronson is deservingly booked for a frustration foul on Oussama Targhalline. Josh Atencio enters to replace Jack McGlynn.

70th min: GOAL! MOROCCO! The United States are being torched as the end is near, with Achraf Hakimi driving the nail into the coffin. Kevin Paredes is beaten in the air on the wing, and it allowed Hakimi to drive on goal with plenty of space. John Tolkin backed off and gave Hakimi far too much space, and the PSG man took advantage, rifling a shot in from the top of the penalty area that snuck between a diving Patrick Schulte and the near post!

63rd min: GOAL! MOROCCO! The United States are utterly carved to shreds by a simultaneously simple and electric Morocco move that's finished off by Ilias Akhomach!

It's created by Abdessamad Ezzalzouli who gets by Nathan Harriel and finds acres of space to cut inside, and he shapes a perfect lateral cross by Walker Zimmerman and to the feet of a charging Akhomach who crashes it home! Akhomach was completely unmarked, as he got past John Tolkin at full sprint.

There's a long VAR check to see if the ball went out of play on the touchline, but it's confirmed! Marko Mitrovic now makes a pair of changes chasing two goals, as Duncan McGuire and Taylor Booth enter to replace Djordje Mihailovic and Griffin Yow.

61st min: A BRILLIANT tackle from Walker Zimmerman to keep Soufiane Rahimi from getting clean through on goal! He comes sliding in to dispossess the Moroccan striker, sending Rahimi flying to the ground, but he quite clearly got the ball. An all-or-nothing challenge in which he ended up with all!

59th min: Chance, USA! Miles Robinson HAS to score the equalizer but puts the shot wide! Walker Zimmerman is the man to feed him clean through as the two U.S. center-backs combine, but it's flashed around the outside of the far post! That's the chance, and they've missed!

57th min: Bilal El Khannouss is booked for a bad tackle on Kevin Paredes from behind.

53rd min: The U.S. has looked more energetic this half, showing a bit more attacking impetus. Kevin Paredes looks for the acrobatic scissor kick finish but has his shot blocked from a very tight angle.

The result is a long throw which Munir Mohamedi comes to punch, but the 35-year-old tweaked his back in the process and needs treatment. The trainer comes out and gives him a bear hug from behind to stretch it out. Relatable.

50th min: Walker Zimmerman has been visibly frustrated at some of the referee decisions, but the corner he conceded was called correctly, and then he concedes a foul in transition but avoids further punishment.

2nd half kickoff: It would appear that Marko Mitrovic has resisted the temptation to make any changes to the U.S. XI for the start of the second half. Same for Morocco, who were dominant in that first 45 minutes.

Halftime: USA 0-1 Morocco

The United States go into halftime down 1-0 and are clearly second-best to this point of the match. They had a few moments early, but since the first 10-15 minutes, they've been poor. Marko Mitrovic has not looked to press Morocco whatsoever, leaving them with very little of the ball. The U.S. forwards are starved for service and the midfield is being torn to shreds.

Changes, from both a personnel standpoint and tactical approach, are needed. It might start with taking off a struggling (and booked) Jack McGlynn.

42nd min: The United States are desperately looking to get a foothold in this game, but Morocco have asserted their possessional dominance since going in front, and are making it very difficult on the U.S. to make their own mark on this match.

27th min: Penalty, Morocco! Nathan Harriel is whistled for a foul as he wildly swings at a bouncing ball and kicks the underside of Soufiane Rahimi's leg! It's unbelievably soft from the official, but it's hard to imagine VAR will intervene here, as there was indeed contact.

Once confirmed by the replay crew, Sahimi steps up to the spot and... GOAL! MOROCCO! Patrick Schulte dives the right way but he can't reach it as the penalty is slotted inside the post!

Smoke bombs erupt all over Parc des Princes as the PA announcer desperately asks the heavily pro-Morocco crowd not to use pyrotechnics.

25th min: As noted earlier, the United States needed to gain a foothold back in this match, and they've managed to do just that by holding more of the ball over the last five or 10 minutes. No real chances on goal, but they have secured a bit better balance.

18th min: The U.S. is back on its heels as Morocco are beginning to cook in the attacking third. The United States need to keep possession longer to even out the balance.

16th min: Jack McGlynn is beat by Ilias Akhomach on a one-two and fouls the Moroccan No. 10 in transition. The American is booked for the foul, and it gives Morocco a very dangerous free-kick from about 22 yards out. It's taken by Hakimi who puts the effort on target, but Patrick Schulte makes a comfortable save.

13th min: Chance, Morocco! A BIG save from Patrick Schulte! He goes flying through the air to stop a top corner-bound shot by Oussama El Azzoui who is the target of a well-worked Moroccan corner routine and fires a blistering effort, but Schulte produces an acrobatic stop!

9th min: Chance, USA! A great corner routine sees the ball poked just wide at the far post, but it wouldn't have counted had it gone in because the offside flag went up.

5th min: This is a scary one for the United States. John Tolkin, who has his hands full today with Achraf Hakimi, is down after nothing more than heading a corner clear at the near post. He's eventually up and ready to continue, but that's one to watch as it's a head injury that was caused by simply a heading action.

2nd min: The United States have the game's first corner, but it's dealt with by experienced goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi who comes out to punch and draws a foul.

Kickoff: They're under way at Parc des Princes! A spot in the semifinals, and with it a big chance at a medal, is on the line!

USA vs. Morocco : Pre-match commentary, analysis, more

15 mins to kickoff: Gianluca Busio figured to factor into the U.S. Olympic team heavily, but has been dealing with a hamstring injury. The good news is it appears he's close to a return as he warms up with the rest of the team on the Parc des Princes pitch.

30 mins to kickoff: This will most likely be a hostile crowd for the Americans today in Paris. Morocco is part of the French-speaking belt across north Africa, and many of their national team players are contracted to French clubs. Besides Achraf Hakimi at PSG, there are individuals on this Morocco Olympic team who play for Le Havre, Saint-Etienne, Stade de Reims, and AS Monaco.

45 mins to kickoff: PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi will be in attendance at Parc des Princes to watch the game today, as a show of support for his star Achraf Hakimi.

It's a big day of sport for Al-Khelaifi who earlier in the day will be supporting French judo competitors Romane Dicko and Teddy Riner who also compete for PSG. Often times, major European soccer teams are just part of their parent team's litany of sports, which often include basketball, handball, and athletics.

1 hour to kickoff: Lineups are in, and it's just one change for U.S. head coach Marko Mitrovic as he brings Philadelphia Union youngster Jack McGlynn into midfield for his first start of the Olympics, with Max Dietz dropping to the bench. Griffin Yow, who earned his first start in the group finale and starred, keeps his place.

For Morocco, there are no changes from their big group finale victory over Iraq by a dominant 3-0 score. Achraf Hakimi wears the captain's armband, while 35-year-old Al Wedha goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi remains in net.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: The tournament bracket has fallen extremely kindly for the United States, and this could be their best chance to win a first-ever medal. While a win here would likely see them meet tournament favorites Spain, a few other factors have broken their way.

First of all, it was thought highly likely that this game would come against Argentina, not Morocco, but the controversy early in Olympic play saw the African nation top Group B instead, a kinder quarterfinal draw. Argentina, meanwhile, pulled hosts France on the other side of the bracket, which means one of those teams will go out earlier than expected and won't end up in the third-place match, where the U.S. could face Egypt or Paraguay if they reach that far.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: It's always fascinating to see how each team uses its three overage exemptions. While senior national teams from Europe and North America largely had to navigate building a roster around those who competed earlier this summer in major international tournaments, those from Asia and Africa did not, and thus had a slight advantage.

That made it possible for teams like Morocco to bring in the likes of Achraf Hakimi, one of the best full-backs in the world. Other nations could do the same with their best players, like Uzbekistan with Eldor Shomurodov.

1 hour 45 mins to kick: The U.S. men's national team has never won a medal. The only time the United States has medaled in men's soccer was 1904, the first-ever competition in the event before international teams were even part of the picture.

At those games in St. Louis, three clubs competed in the event — one from Canada and two from the United States. The Canadian club took gold, while the two U.S. clubs took silver and bronze. Four years later, the Olympics began national team competition in men's soccer in earnest, and the United States national team has not medaled since.

2 hours to kickoff: The recovery by the U.S. men after falling to France in the opener was quite impressive. In fact, it was historic, giving them two wins at an Olympics for the first time.

USA vs. Morocco kickoff time

This quarterfinal match at the 2024 Summer Olympics kicks off from Parc des Princes on Friday, Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. local time in Paris. Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:

USA vs. Morocco lineups, team news, starting 11

USA head coach Marko Mitrovic could be set to name an unchanged starting lineup after the United States trounced Guinea in the final group match. Winger Griffin Yow was exceptional and could be kept in the XI, leaving striker Duncan McGuire on the bench.

The hamstring injury that forced Gianluca Busio off early in the win over New Zealand also kept him sidelined for the Guinea match, and he remains out of this match as well. He was replaced in the group finale by Max Dietz who could earn another start if Busio is still unavailable.

USA starting lineup (4-3-3): Schulte (GK) — Harriel, M. Robinson, Zimmerman, Tolkin — McGlynn, Mihailovic, Tessman — Paredes, P. Aaronson, Yow.

USA subs (7): Slonina (GK), Atencio, Wiley, Dietz, Booth, Cremaschi, McGuire.

Head coach Tarik Sektioui has made no changes from the group finale where Morocco topped Iraq by a 3-0 score.

PSG star Achraf Hakimi is one of the nation's three overage exemptions, and presents a massive concern for the U.S. on both ends of the pitch. Wide man Amir Richardson is the son of former Knicks and Nets guard Michael "Sugar" Ray Richardson.

Morocco starting lineup (4-3-3): Munir (GK) — Hakimi, El Azzoui, Boukamir, El Ouahdi — A. Richardson, Targhalline, El Khannous — Akhomach, Rahimi, Ezzalzouli.

Morocco subs (7): Ghanimi (GK), Tahif, Nakach, Bouchouari, Kechta, Maouboub, Seghir.

USA vs. Morocco live stream, TV channel

• Date: Friday, Aug. 2, 2024
• Time: 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
• TV Channel: USA Network, Telemundo
• Streaming: Fubo , Peacock, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo

This match will be televised in the United States on USA Network in English and Telemundo in Spanish, with both channels available to stream on Fubo or on NBC's various streaming platforms.

An English-language broadcast can be found streaming exclusively on Peacock.