A failed intervention from midfielder Joe Bell on Rayan Cherki, a ball fleeing into the Kiwis area followed by a subtle lob from the left before the cheers of an ecstatic Marseille stadium. It therefore took a little trick of the billiards - or fate - and a great personal inspiration for the number 14 of the Blues to finally open his account in this Olympic tournament.
Launched from the outset by coach Thierry Henry for the third time in as many matches at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, this time alongside Rennais Arnaud Kalimuendo, Mateta remained with two very timid or sluggish performances. Facing the United States (3-0) on Wednesday then Guinea on Saturday (1-0), the native of Sevran was not successful in the game or in the lead, missing several clear situations. This Tuesday, the 27-year-old striker stood out more by weighing on the New Zealand defense and opening the scoring with a nice goal.
In France, the Crystal Palace striker enjoys relative notoriety, following a tumultuous career which saw him spend time at Châteauroux, Lyon, Le Havre before leaving abroad for Mainz and finally Crystal Palace (since 2021). At the club in the southern suburbs of London, with whom he is under contract until June 2026, the 1m92 colossus experienced three delicate seasons before exploding during the last vintage, winning at the forefront of the attack of the Eagles thanks to good statistics (39 matches, 19 goals).
