The Paris Olympics kicked off with a dramatic and chaotic men’s football opener between Argentina and Morocco. As the game neared its end, Morocco fans crashed the pitch in protest. Their anger stemmed from a late goal by Argentina, which tied the match 2-2.
Paris Olympics kickstarted with a controversial start
The bizarre scene left the game suspended for nearly two hours, with only minutes remaining. Objects were thrown, and security tackled the invading fans at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne.
Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored a crucial goal in the 16th minute of added time, levelling the score. However, Morocco fans vehemently disagreed with the decision, leading to the chaotic interruption. The match was eventually resumed behind closed doors.
Despite their late heroics, Argentina suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Morocco. A goal deep in stoppage time was ruled out for offside, adding to the drama. Senior team captain and World Cup winner Lionel Messi was baffled by the decision and posted a story mentioning the word, ‘insolito’. Insolito is a Spanish word that translates in English to ‘unusual’ or ‘uncommon’.
Javier Mascherano, Head coach of Argentina, lashed out at the decision. “The biggest circus I have ever seen in my life,” Mascherano said in his statement after the match.
The moment Argentina vs. Morocco was disrupted, resulting in a delay of over one hour 🕝#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/ATvy879Wih
— Eurosport (@eurosport) July 24, 2024
This bizarre opener set the tone for the Paris Olympics football competition. The unexpected result and the unprecedented pitch invasion will be remembered as one of the most controversial moments in Olympic football history.
The Argentina-Morocco clash was a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving fans stunned and the football world buzzing. As the tournament unfolds, we can only wonder what other surprises await us on the Olympic stage.
