USMNT U23 player ratings vs Guinea: Sensational Kevin Paredes leads U.S. to Olympic knockouts for first time in 24 years

The U.S. men's Olympics national team have advanced to the knockout stages of the 2024 Paris Games after a 3-0 blanking of Guinea in their final group stage match of the tournament. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. U23 squad will play in a win-or-go-home contest in the tournament, where they will take on Morocco at 9 a.m. ET Friday in the quarterfinals.

The U.S. opened the scoring against Guinea through Colorado Rapids midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, who scored an absolutely stupendous free kick from 19 yards out in the 14th minute of the match. Their lead was doubled in the 29th, after Wolfsburg winger Kevin Paredes was unleashed through the middle of the pitch off a brilliant through ball by Paxten Aaronson.

He finished tidy, cutting onto his left foot, with a strike that set the tone for the remainder of the match.

After a series of second half substitutions, Paredes wrapped up his cameo with his second of the day, making it 3-0 with a lovely left-footed strike into the top-right corner in the 75th minute.

A clean sheet and a victory meant the U.S. finished in second place in Group A, with their path to the Olympic podium now clear. U.S. coach Marko Mitrovic will now look to lead his team towards a medal, an feat last accomplished by the USMNT in 1904.

GOAL rates the U23 USMNT players from Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Ettiene.