The game, which was the opener for both teams, descended into chaos following a disallowed late equalizer for Argentina and was further disrupted by crowd disturbances that led to the final minutes being played in an empty stadium.
The controversy began in the 16th minute of added time when Argentina’s Cristian Medina appeared to have secured a 2-2 draw with a goal. However, the celebration was cut short as the stadium was thrown into disarray with projectiles being thrown onto the pitch and several spectators invading the playing field.
This prompted the referee to halt the game. Despite the interruption, the match had not officially ended, leading to confusion over the outcome. It was only after a two-hour delay, with the stadium cleared of spectators, that the teams returned to the pitch to play the remaining three minutes. Following a VAR review, Medina’s goal was disallowed for offside, allowing Morocco to secure the win.
The match’s outcome was a disappointing start for Argentina at the Paris Games, particularly given the team’s aspirations to claim their third men’s football gold medal.
The Argentine squad, led by Javier Mascherano, had hoped to bolster their lineup with Lionel Messi among the three permitted overage players, though Messi ultimately did not participate.
Notable players for Argentina included Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez and captain Nicolas Otamendi. Morocco, on the other hand, showcased their strength with a performance led by captain Achraf Hakimi and a brace from Soufiane Rahimi.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Spain commenced their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan in Group C, aiming to build on their silver medal from Tokyo. The game featured contributions from members of their Euro 2024-winning squad, with Marc Pubill and Sergio Gomez scoring the goals for Spain.
The day also saw other matches, including a 0-0 draw between Egypt and the Dominican Republic in the same group, and New Zealand securing a 2-1 win over Guinea in Group A.
Source Agencies
