Paris Olympics 2024: Spain beat Uzbekistan 2-1 in Football

This marked a significant day for the White Wolves, who were competing in their first-ever Olympic Games. La Roja is now aiming for a European Championship and Olympic double after their victory at Euro 2024 earlier this month.

Alex Baena and Fermin Lopez were among the players hoping to secure a second winners’ medal in the space of a month.

The match followed the expected script when Santi Denia's side broke the deadlock in the 29th minute, with Almeria defender Marc Pubill scoring the first goal of Paris 2024.

Despite this, Spain did not have things all their own way, conceding a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Roma man Shomurodov stepped up and dispatched the spot-kick past the outstretched Arnau Tenas, sparking jubilant scenes in the French capital.

Following that awakening, La Roja emerged after the intermission with renewed vigor, and had an opportunity to regain their advantage from the penalty spot when Fayzullaev fouled Aimar Oroz.

However, Gomez failed to capitalize on the opportunity and was dramatically thwarted by Nematov's outstretched leg as he tried to place the ball in the middle of the goal.

Nevertheless, the Real Sociedad player redeemed himself just two minutes later with a fantastic first-time finish from Miranda’s perfectly weighted pass to once again put Spain in the lead.

The energetic Shomurodov attempted to respond with an angled left-footed shot that narrowly missed the post, while Husniddin Aliqulov’s ambitious free-kick sailed just over the crossbar.

In the end, Denia's young team held on for three points ahead of their second group match against the Dominican Republic in Bordeaux on Saturday, while Timur Kapadze’s determined team will seek to bounce back against Egypt in Nantes later that same day.