TOKYO – Starting with six players who rushed from the European Championship to the Tokyo Olympic Games, Spain was held to a 0-0 draw by Egypt on Thursday in the team’s opening match of the men’s soccer tournament.
Spain’s best chance to score at the Sapporo Dome came when Dani Ceballos hit the post, AP reported.
The 24-year-old Real Madrid midfielder, who got injured at the end of the first half and had to be taken out, is one of three overage players permitted in the squad.
The players in the starting lineup who were also part of Spain’s run to the Euro 2020 semifinals two weeks ago were goalkeeper Unai Simon, defenders Eric Garcia and Pau Torres, midfielder Pedro, and forwards Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal.
Egypt picked players from domestic clubs except Saudi-based Ahmed Hegazi, the team’s captain.
Liverpool would not release striker Mohamed Salah for the Olympics with the Premier League season starting in three weeks.
Spain, winners on home soil in 1992, next take on Australia in three days’ time before their final Group C match with Argentina.
New Zealand made a successful start in Group B as Burnley striker Chris Wood, one of the three over-age players in the squad, secured a 1-0 victory over South Korea in Kashima with his 72nd-minute winner.
Reigning champions Brazil get their campaign underway later on Thursday against Germany.
France thrashed by Mexico
Alexis Vega scored the first of four second-half goals for Mexico in a 4-1 victory over France on Thursday in the men’s Olympic soccer tournament.
Mexico, which won gold at the 2012 Olympics, had the better chances in the first half but the game was scoreless at the break. Vega scored first in the 47th minute and Sebastian Cordova added a second in the 55th.
Andre-Pierre Gignac, who plays for Mexican club Tigres, scored from the penalty spot in the 70th minute to narrow the gap for France, which won the Olympic title in 1984.
But Uriel Atuna put Mexico ahead 3-1 in the 80th and Eduardo Aguirre added a goal in stoppage time for El Tri.
While the Olympics is for under-23 squads, coaches are able to name three players born after 1997.
So teams in Tokyo are dotted with stars, including Florian Thauvin, who won the 2018 World Cup with France and also plays for Tigres.
Mexico´s team featured goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, a 36-year-old veteran of four World Cups, and Club America teammate Henry Martin at forward.
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