PARIS: Spain are already into the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s football tournament after only four days and two matchdays following a 3-1 win over the 10 men of Dominican Republic in Group C.

La Rojita went ahead in the 24th minute through midfielder Fermin Lopez with the newcomers grabbing a surprise equaliser when Angel Montes de Oca scored a first Olympic goal for his country.

Alejandro Baena restored Spain’s lead and Miguel Gutierrez tapped into an empty goal to seal the win over the Dominicans, who were down to 10 men before halftime after a red card for the Las Vegas Lights midfielder Edison Azcona.

The group’s other match saw Uzbekistan crash out of their first Olympics after a 1-0 loss to Egypt in Nantes on a goal by Ahmed Koka.

Argentina relief

Group B action saw Argentina return to winning ways with a 3-1 defeat of Iraq in Lyon to recover from their chaotic opening loss to Morocco. An appeal to FIFA against that result was rejected before the victory over Iraq lifted Argentina top of the table on goal difference in any case.

Javier Mascherano’s team opened the scoring after 14 minutes thanks to a Thiago Almada volley but Iraq equalised with Aymen Hussein’s header seconds before halftime.

Substitute Luciano Gondou restored Argentina’s lead before a superb strike by Ezequiel Fernandez six minutes from time secured all three points for the 2004 and 2008 gold medallists.

Mascherano said: “It was a difficult match. Iraq are a physically strong team. The only thing we needed to do was win, it’s a great relief. We struggled in the first half. But in the second half we found a lot of inside play and finishing on the outside.”

Ukraine, despite being reduced to 10 men, claimed a dramatic 2-1 win over Morocco in Saint-Etienne thanks to Ihor Krasnopir’s late winner.

Dmytro Kryskiv put Ukraine ahead after 22 minutes before Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi, the tournament’s leading scorer, equalised from the penalty spot in the 64th minute after a foul by Volodymyr Saliuk, who was sent off.

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