PARIS — A fan invasion in the opening match of the Olympic football tournament between Argentina and Morocco on Wednesday caused chaos, with Argentina eventually beaten 2-1 following a VAR review after play was suspended with the score tied at 2-2.
BREAKING:
The first scandal of the Paris Summer Olympics is a fact.The game between Morocco & Argentina has been suspended after angry Moroccan fans stormed the pitch and the crowd threw firecrackers at the Argentine players after their equalizing goal pic.twitter.com/jeDZzKQ69z
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 24, 2024
Argentina's Cristian Medina scored deep in injury time to salvage what looked like a 2-2 draw, but the decision ruling out the goal was delivered about two hours after play was suspended when the teams re-emerged on to the pitch to finish the match in an empty stadium.
ARGENTINA EQUALIZER IN THE FINAL MOMENTS.
The Olympics are off to a thrilling start! #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/UZRNEgAPGn— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) July 24, 2024
Cristian Medina scored a last-gasp goal to salvage what looked like a 2-2 draw with Morocco before fans invaded the pitch and stopped play.
After order was restored and the teams had left the field, they discovered that the match had not been completed but suspended by… pic.twitter.com/ezpNb4qbo8— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 24, 2024
The teams played for three minutes and 15 seconds after VAR completed its review and disallowed the goal.
After order was restored in Saint-Etienne and the teams had left the field following the fan invasion, they discovered that the match had not been completed but suspended by officials.
The venue manager told Reuters the game had been interrupted, adding that a decision about whether the match would be completed was being discussed.
The teams re-emerged just before 7:00 p.m. local time and warmed up a second time so the final minutes could be played.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS?
A VAR review rules out Argentina's equalizer—two hours after it was scored. So it's 2-1 Morocco, with three minutes to play, & they hold on for the win.Football in 2024. Just surreal. pic.twitter.com/6Bj1zy3Fja
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 24, 2024
The gold medal winners in 2004 and 2008 were not at their best despite lining up with recent Copa America winners Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi and Geronimo Rulli.
Soufiane Rahimi put Morocco ahead after Achraf Hakimi set him up from the right following a superb passing move in the final seconds of the first half.
THAT IS BRILLIANT!
Morocco open the scoring against Argentina with a fantastic move! #ParisOlympicsUSA & Peacock pic.twitter.com/stbFHpp0BS
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) July 24, 2024
Rahimi doubled the advantage and netted his second from the penalty spot in the 49th minute before Giuliano Simeone pulled one back for Javier Mascherano's side in the 68th.
Soufiane Rahimi gets his second of the game—this time from the spot—to send the Morocco fans into a frenzy! #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/jAD55GefHB
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) July 24, 2024
Medina then found the net 16 minutes into stoppage time before fans stormed the pitch and objects were thrown at players as chaos erupted in the eastern French city.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios, Editing by Christian Radnedge and Toby Davis)