In a dramatic start to the Olympic football tournament, Argentina suffered a 1-2 defeat to Morocco in a match overshadowed by chaos and controversy. The game, held at Saint-Étienne’s Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, descended into disorder when a disputed equalizing goal for Argentina was disallowed for offside, leading to a temporary suspension of the match.
Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi scored both goals for his team, with Argentina’s Giovanni Simeone pulling one back. A potential equalizer from Cristian Medina in added time was nullified, and the ensuing chaos saw fans storm the pitch and hurl objects at players. The match was halted for two hours before being resumed in an empty stadium.
Post-match, Argentina’s coach Javier Mascherano criticized the situation as a “circus,” while Lionel Messi expressed his disbelief on Instagram.
In other action, Spain secured a 1-2 victory over Uzbekistan at the Parc des Princes, with goals from Marc Pubill and Sergio Gómez.
The day’s events highlighted the challenges faced by Olympic organizers as security measures were heightened, especially with ongoing tensions involving other teams.
