[Summer Olympics] Egypt vs Dominican Republic - The home team usually only suffers when playing against top-tier teams.

The North Africans secured their spot in the Olympic football tournament as finalists in the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, which took place last summer. The Egyptian team confidently won their group with two victories and one draw, all while keeping a clean sheet. In the playoffs, the Pharaohs edged out Guinea (1-0) but fell to Morocco in the final (1-2).

This marks Egypt's 13th appearance at the Olympics, where they have twice finished fourth and reached the quarter-finals in both 2012 and 2020. This year, Egypt reached the semi-finals of the West Asian Football Federation Championship. In preparation for the Olympics, Rogério Micale's squad played two friendlies, drawing with Ukraine (1-1) and defeating Iraq (2-1).

For the Dominican Republic, this will be their first-ever appearance at the Olympics. Two years ago, the "Red and Whites" made headlines when their U-20 team sensationally reached the final of the CONCACAF Championship. It should be noted that the Dominican Republic's rise was largely facilitated by facing less formidable opponents.

They narrowly defeated El Salvador 5-4 in the first round, followed by a win over Jamaica, and then triumphed over Guatemala in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals. However, in the final against a much stronger U.S. team, the Dominicans suffered a heavy 0-6 defeat. In preparation for the Olympics, Ibao Gomez's team played two matches against Paraguay, winning 2-1 and losing 0-2, and in June, they endured a humiliating 0-7 loss to France.