Argentina vs. Morocco in the Chaotic Olympic Opener

July 24, 2024
1 53 3 minutes read
Paris 2024 Olympics Group B match: Morocco against Argentina at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne on July 24, 2024.
Paris 2024 Olympics Group B match: Morocco against Argentina at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne on July 24, 2024.

SAINT-ETIENNE, France (WE) — The Olympic men’s soccer tournament kicked off in dramatic fashion as Morocco secured a shocking 2-1 victory over two-time gold medalist Argentina. The match at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard was marred by chaos when Moroccan fans stormed the pitch and threw bottles in protest of a late Argentine goal.

The incident occurred after Cristian Medina appeared to score in the 16th minute of added time, seemingly tying the game 2-2. However, VAR disallowed the goal for offside, leading to confusion and a suspension of play for nearly two hours. Fans were evacuated, but players remained and eventually returned to finish the final three minutes in an empty stadium.

Morocco had initially led 2-0 with goals from Soufiane Rahimi, but Argentina’s Giuliano Simeone narrowed the gap in the 68th minute. Medina’s disallowed goal sparked further controversy and unrest among Moroccan fans.

During the match between Argentina and Morocco in Saint-Étienne, angry spectators hurled a bottle (visible at the top left) at celebrating Argentina players, causing Julián Álvarez to duck. The incident led to the suspension of the Group A encounter. (Photograph: Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters)
During the match Argentina vs. Morocco in Saint-Étienne, angry spectators hurled a bottle (visible at the top left) at celebrating Argentina players, causing Julián Álvarez to duck. The incident led to the suspension of the Group A encounter. (Photograph: Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters)

Images showed Argentina players flinching as flares and bottles were thrown onto the field. The match was temporarily halted, and organizers took about an hour to confirm it was not over. After a lengthy delay and video review, play resumed briefly before the final whistle confirmed Morocco’s victory.

The game, broadcast widely in Morocco, elicited strong reactions, with fans expressing intense disappointment and national pride. Zak Eddakir from Rabat emphasized the deep cultural significance of soccer in Morocco, saying, “Here, football is life. Even the King supports it.”

Match Highlights:

Goals for Morocco: Soufiane Rahimi scored twice, with a goal in the final seconds of the first half and another from a penalty in the 49th minute.
Argentina’s Comeback: Giuliano Simeone scored in the 68th minute, followed by Medina’s disallowed equalizer.
Controversy and Suspension: The match was suspended due to fan disruptions and resumed after an hour, finishing without spectators.

Additional Details:

Enzo Fernández faced boos from the crowd due to a video controversy labeled “racist and discriminatory” by the French Football Federation.
Despite featuring stars like Julián Álvarez and Nicolás Otamendi, Argentina struggled to showcase their best form.

Sergio Gómez of Spain celebrates after scoring the decisive goal against Uzbekistan at Parc des Princes. (Photograph: John Walton/PA)
Sergio Gómez of Spain celebrates after scoring the decisive goal against Uzbekistan at Parc des Princes. (Photograph: John Walton/PA)


In other Olympic football action, Spain defeated Uzbekistan 2-1, with goals from Marc Pubill and Sergio Gómez, securing their first three points in Group C.

Players Who Participated:

Here are the players who participated in the Argentina vs. Morocco match on July 24, 2024, at the Paris Olympics:

Argentina Starting XI:

  1. Geronimo Rulli (GK)
  2. Juan Di Cesare
  3. Julio Soler (substituted at 68′)
  4. Nicolas Otamendi
  5. Kevin Zenón (substituted at 54′)
  6. Cristian Medina
  7. Julian Alvarez
  8. Thiago Almada
  9. Santiago Hezze (substituted at 68′)
  10. Juan Garcia (substituted at 82′)
  11. Lucas Beltran (substituted at 68′)

Argentina Substitutes:

  • Giuliano Simeone (substituted in at 54′)
  • Bruno Amione (substituted in at 69′)
  • Ezequiel Fernandez (substituted in at 69′)
  • Luciano Gondou (substituted in at 68′)
  • Claudio Echeverri (substituted in at 83′)
  • Leandro Brey
  • Gonzalo Lujan

Morocco Starting XI:

  1. Munir El Kajoui (GK)
  2. Achraf Hakimi
  3. Ahmed Boukamir
  4. Bilal El Khannous
  5. Soufiane Rahimi
  6. Ilias Akhomach (substituted at 58′)
  7. Zakaria El Ouahdi
  8. Oussama Targhalline
  9. Ayoub Richardson
  10. Eliesse Ben Seghir (substituted at 79′)
  11. Oussama El Azzouzi (substituted at 79′)

Morocco Substitutes:

  • Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (substituted in at 59′)
  • Yassine Kechta (substituted in at 80′)
  • Akram Nakach (substituted in at 80′)
  • Benjamin Bouchouari
  • Mehdi Maouhoub
  • Adil Tahif
  • Rachid Ghanimi

Conclusion:

The match between Argentina and Morocco was a dramatic and chaotic start to the Olympic football tournament, highlighting both the unpredictability of the sport and the intensity of fan involvement.
The opening match has set a tumultuous tone for the Olympic football tournament, highlighting the passion and unpredictability of the sport.

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