LYON: Spain edged closer to becoming the first European team to win the Olympic men’s football crown in 32 years as two goals from Fermin Lopez helped deliver a 3-0 quarter-final victory over Japan 3-0 in Lyon.

In the semi-finals on Monday Spain will play Morocco who thrashed the United States 4-0 in Lyon.

Barcelona midfielder Fermin is having a busy summer after being a member of the senior Spanish team’s triumphant European Championship squad last month.

He opened the scoring with a left-foot drive in the 11^th minute and struck his own and Spain’s second in the 73^rd. Abel Ruiz wrapped up the scoring from close range four minutes from time.

The closest Japan came was shortly before halftime when Mao Hosoya had a potential equaliser ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR check.

Spain were the last European winners of the Olympic men’s gold medal, as hosts in 1992.

Morocco cruised into the last four after dominating from start to finish against the US at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

Soufiane Rahimi fired them towards the last four for the first time by converting  a 29^th-minute penalty for his fifth goal of the tournament.

Ilias Akhomach doubled the lead from close range just after the hour and captain Achraf Hakimi struck a third seven minutes later. Substitute Mehdi Maouhoub completed the scoring with another penalty in stoppage time after a VAR check for a handball.

Hakimi, who plays in France for Paris Saint-Germain, said: “I felt like I was playing at home in this stadium where I play for my club, but also because our fans were very loud and were here in big numbers.

“Our fans have been following us all tournament, I hope they can follow us all the way to the final. We want to make them proud.”

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