Paraguay secured their place in the knockout stages of the Olympic football tournament by beating Mali 1-0 in Paris, securing back-to-back victories after previously enduring a seven-match winless run.Mali were in must-win territory after failing to take maximum points in either of their first two group games, leaving them in desperate need of a good start at the Parc des Princes. However, within five minutes of kick-off in the French capital, they fell behind to a moment of Paraguayan magic. Marcelo Fernández unleashed a sensational volley from outside the box that thundered into the corner, leaving the sprawling Mali goalkeeper Lassine Diarra no chance of stopping it.⚽️ GOLAAAAZO de #MarceloFernández 🇵🇾 #Paraguay 1-0 #Malí 🇲🇱#JuegosOlímpicos #Paris2024 #Football pic.twitter.com/OWsgUZTkFo— Marcelo Burgos (@marceloburgosf) July 30, 2024 Paraguay were dominant throughout the opening period, and came close to doubling their advantage on the 10-minute mark, when Marcelo Pérez was denied from an acute angle. Diego Gómez then had a goal ruled out for offside, while Julio Enciso came close to a trademark long-range thunderbolt as halftime approached.Mali, who failed to create a chance of any significance before the interval, retreated to the changing rooms hoping for a dramatic change in fortunes. And Malian prayers were almost answered within 38 seconds of the restart, as Checikna Doumbia’s cutback from the byline found Boubacar Traoré with the goal at his mercy, only for the midfielder to be denied by a stunning reflex save from Gatito Fernández.France maul the Kiwis to face Argentina, next up for Morocco are the YankeesThe resurgent African outfit kept pushing, but the goals they desperately craved continued to prove elusive. Coli Saco was denied from a free-kick on the edge of the area, while Brahima Diarra’s skill to glide past multiple defenders was immediately undone by a lack of composure in front of goal as he blazed over with the goal at his mercy.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Paraguay’s goalmouth was living a charmed life by now, but Mali continued to let them off the hook. A ball into the box dropped perfectly at the feet of Ibrahima Cissé, but his efforts to slide the ball under the goalkeeper from close range were thwarted by Fernández. Frustration gripped Badra Diallo’s men as they ran out of ideas chasing an equaliser, with Paraguay effectively shutting the door at the back. Mali bow out, while Carlos Jara Saguier’s side progress looking to replicate their run to the final in 2004 on their last appearance at this tournament.PARIS OLYMPICS – GROUP STAGERound 3TuesdayDom.Republic – Uzbekistan 1-1 (0-0)/Nunez 51 pen – Odilov 58/Spain – Egypt 1-2 (0-1)/Omorodion 90 – Adel 40, 62/Morocco – Iraq 3-0 (3-0)/Richardson 19, Rahimi 28, Ezalzzouli 36/Ukraine – Argentina 0-2 (0-0)/Almada 47, Echeverri 90+1/USA – Guinea 3-0 (2-0)/Mihailovic 14, Paredes 31, 75/N.Zealand – France 0-3 (0-1)/Mateta 19, Doue 71, Kalimuendo 74/Israel – Japan 0-1 (0-0)/Hosoya 90+1/Paraguay – Mali 1-0 (1-0)/Fernandez 5/
