Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News

4 minutes read. Updated 5:10PM GMT Thurs, 25July, 2024

The Paris 2024 Olympics, the opening men’s football match between Argentina and Morocco was marred by chaos, prompting strong reactions from both teams. The match, held on Wednesday at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne, was suspended for nearly two hours during added time after Moroccan fans stormed the pitch, expressing their discontent with a late goal scored by Argentina. The goal, scored by Cristian Medina in the 16th minute of added time, was eventually disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), resulting in a final score of 2-1 in favor of Morocco.

Javier Mascherano, Argentina’s coach, labeled the incident a “scandal,” emphasizing that the disruption was unacceptable given the significance of the Olympic Games. “What happened on the pitch is a scandal. This is not a neighborhood tournament; this is the Olympic Games,” Mascherano stated.

Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Federation, condemned the situation, criticizing the delay and the lack of immediate action by officials. “Waiting for almost two hours in the locker room after the Moroccan fans invaded the field, the violence that the Argentine delegation suffered, and our players having to warm up again and continue playing a match that should have been suspended by the head referee is truly absurd and contrary to competition rules,” Tapia said.

The disturbance began when Moroccan supporters invaded the field to protest Medina’s late goal, which they believed had leveled the score at 2-2. The situation escalated as bottles were thrown from the stands and security personnel intervened. Footage from the event also showed flares being thrown onto the pitch, further escalating the tension.

Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi took to social media to denounce the actions of the unruly fans, stating, “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.”

In the aftermath, confusion reigned as it was initially believed that the match had concluded with a 2-2 score. However, it was later revealed that the game had been suspended and Medina’s goal was under review. After a lengthy delay, referee Glenn Nyberg confirmed that the goal was disallowed due to an offside call, and Morocco maintained their 2-1 lead to secure the victory.

Mascherano expressed frustration over the handling of the situation, stating, “The game was suspended for security reasons. At no time were we informed about any review of the game.” He urged his team to move past the incident and focus on their remaining matches in the tournament.

Argentina, the two-time Olympic gold medalists and reigning champions of the 2022 World Cup and two consecutive Copa Americas, had been strong favorites for the gold medal. The team now faces the challenge of regrouping and preparing for their upcoming fixtures in the competition.

For further updates on the Paris 2024 Olympics and more coverage on this story, visit FIFA’s official website, The Guardian, and BBC Sport.