The opening match of the Olympic men’s football tournament between Argentina and Morocco descended into unprecedented chaos, ending with a controversial 2-1 victory for Morocco. The game, initially reported as a 2-2 draw, was suspended for nearly two hours due to multiple pitch invasions by Moroccan fans and objects being thrown at players.Morocco had taken a 2-0 lead through Soufiane Rahimi, who scored in the first half and again from a penalty early in the second. Argentina fought back, with Giuliano Simeone reducing the deficit. The drama reached its peak when Cristian Medina appeared to equalize for Argentina in stoppage time, sparking outrage among Moroccan fans.After a lengthy suspension and VAR review lasting over an hour and 20 minutes, the referee disallowed the goal for offside. The match resumed for an additional three minutes in an empty stadium, with Morocco holding on to win 2-1.Argentina’s coach, Javier Mascherano, was scathing in his criticism, describing the situation as ‘the biggest circus I’ve ever seen’. He also alleged that the team’s belongings were stolen during training hours before the match. Even Morocco’s captain Achraf Hakimi criticized the behavior of some Moroccan fans, stating that it damaged the image of their loyal fan base.The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has filed a formal complaint with FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, demanding appropriate measures and sanctions against those responsible for the chaotic events. AFA President Claudio Tapia criticized the referee for not listening to the captains of both teams, who agreed that the game could not continue under the circumstances.The incident has raised serious concerns about security at the Olympic Games and the implementation of VAR in such high-stakes situations. Both teams will now prepare for their remaining matches, with Argentina needing to win their next two games to have a chance of qualifying for the next round.
Key points
- The Olympic football match between Argentina and Morocco ended in chaos with a 2-1 victory for Morocco.
- The match was suspended for nearly two hours due to pitch invasions and objects thrown by Moroccan fans.
- A VAR decision after a lengthy delay annulled Argentina’s equalizer, sparking controversy.
- The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has filed a complaint with FIFA demanding disciplinary action.
- The incident has raised concerns about security and VAR implementation at the Olympic Games.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported duration of the match suspension, with some sources stating ‘nearly two hours’ while others mention ‘over an hour and 20 minutes’.
👾The exact timing of Argentina’s disallowed goal varies across reports, with some stating it occurred in the 90+16th minute, while others mention the 105th minute.
