In a dramatic and chaotic opening match of the Olympic football tournament, Morocco edged out Argentina 2-1 after a contentious VAR decision. The game, held in Saint-Etienne, was interrupted by a fan invasion following a late goal by Argentina’s Cristian Medina, initially bringing the score to 2-2.
As Argentina seemed to have salvaged a draw with Medina’s injury-time goal, the situation turned tumultuous when Morocco fans stormed the pitch and hurled objects at the players. The match was suspended, and officials deliberated for two hours before resuming play in an empty stadium to complete the remaining three minutes and 15 seconds. During this time, the VAR review disallowed Argentina’s second goal, sealing Morocco’s victory.
Earlier in the game, Morocco took the lead through Soufiane Rahimi, who scored just before halftime following a brilliant setup by Achraf Hakimi. Rahimi then doubled the advantage from the penalty spot early in the second half. Argentina managed to reduce the deficit with a goal from Giuliano Simeone, but their efforts to equalize were thwarted by the eventual disallowance of Medina’s goal.
The Argentine squad, which included prominent players like Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi, and Geronimo Rulli, struggled to find their form despite their recent Copa America success. The chaotic conclusion to the match highlighted the intense emotions and unpredictable nature of Olympic football.
In another Group C match, Spain secured a 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Parc des Princes. Spain took the lead in the 29th minute with a goal from Marc Pubill, set up by Abel Ruiz. Uzbekistan equalized just before halftime through Eldor Shomurodov’s penalty, awarded after a VAR review.
Spain’s coach, Santi Denia, acknowledged the challenge posed by Uzbekistan and emphasized the need for improvement in ball circulation. Despite missing a penalty early in the second half, Spain’s Sergio Gomez redeemed himself by scoring the decisive goal in the 62nd minute, ensuring Spain’s winning start in the tournament.
