Morocco Wins Chaotic Olympic Opener Against Argentina
In a match that will be remembered for its controversy and drama, Morocco secured a 2-1 win over Argentina in the Olympic opener, with a pitch invasion and a lengthy delay adding to the chaos.
The match was marked by a pitch invasion near the end of the second half, which led to an hour-plus delay before the conclusion of the match. The invasion was sparked by a goal from Argentina’s Cristian Medina, which appeared to have saved his team from losing, but was ultimately ruled out by VAR due to an offside position.
The goal was initially celebrated by the Argentine players, but the mood quickly turned sour as fans invaded the pitch and objects were thrown at the Argentina players. The match was suspended, and the teams were forced to leave the field, with the referee eventually deciding to review the goal using VAR.
After a lengthy delay, the goal was taken away, and the match resumed with Morocco retaining their 2-1 lead. The teams played out the remaining three minutes with no fans in the stadium, with Morocco ultimately emerging victorious.
The match was marred by controversy, with Argentina’s players booed earlier in the match in response to the post-Copa América celebrations, which included chants of a song that the French Football Federation described as “racist and discriminatory”.
Argentina legend Lionel Messi took to Instagram to describe the match as “insòlito” (unbelievable), while Argentina head coach Javier Mascherano called it the “biggest circus I have ever seen in my life”.
The win marks a significant upset for Morocco, who were considered underdogs going into the match. The team will look to build on this momentum as they continue their Olympic campaign.
