CHAOS ENSUES AT OLYMPIC SOCCER MATCH BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND MOROCCO
A chaotic scene unfolded at the Olympic soccer match between Argentina and Morocco on Wednesday, as Moroccan fans invaded the pitch and threw bottles in protest at a late goal by Argentina. The match was suspended for nearly two hours during added time, leading to confusion and controversy.
The drama began when Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored a goal in the 16th minute of added time, which the Moroccan fans believed had leveled the score at 2-2. In response, a group of Moroccan fans invaded the pitch, throwing bottles and causing a disturbance. Security personnel attempted to remove them, but not before the situation escalated.
Argentina’s coach, Javier Mascherano, described the scene as a “scandal,” emphasizing that this was not a neighborhood tournament, but the Olympic Games. “What happened on the pitch is a scandal. This is not a neighborhood tournament, this is the Olympic Games,” he said.
The president of the Argentine Football Federation, Claudio Tapia, echoed Mascherano’s sentiments, stating that the situation was “something that makes no sense and goes against the rules of the competition.” He also announced that the federation had lodged a formal protest with FIFA and would do “whatever is necessary” to ensure the safety of the players.
The match was eventually suspended, and the players returned to warm up in an empty stadium after nearly two hours. Referee Glenn Nyberg confirmed that the goal would be ruled out for offside, and Morocco went on to win the match 2-1.
Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi wrote on X, “I deplore the attitude of some supporters during the match, which tarnished the image of our loyal fans. Such behavior has no place in football.”
Despite the controversy, Argentina’s players are focusing on the remaining matches in the tournament, with Mascherano stating, “It’s obviously confusing, but we have to move on. It happened, it’s over. We have to focus on the two games that are left to play. We have to focus on the two games that are left, save our anger and let it come out in the next games.”
Argentina is a two-time gold medallist in the Olympic soccer tournament, having won the 2004 and 2008 titles. They were also the 2022 World Cup champions and have won two consecutive Copa Americas.
