Morocco Secures Controversial Victory Over Argentina Amid Olympic Crowd Chaos
louis Buyisiwe
Jul 25, 2024
Morocco's team celebrates a goal with fans during their 2-1 Olympic victory over Argentina, despite crowd trouble causing a lengthy suspension.
Morocco triumphed over Argentina in a match overshadowed by crowd trouble, which forced a nearly two-hour suspension during the first football match of the Olympics.
Morocco, leading 2-0, saw Argentina pull a goal back and push for an equalizer. Cristian Medina appeared to have leveled the score at 2-2 in the 16th of the 15 scheduled minutes of injury time.
Chaos ensued when cups, bottles, and a flare were thrown onto the pitch. Fans in Moroccan colors stormed the field, prompting riot police to intervene and the referee to take players off the pitch. The stadium in Saint Etienne was evacuated, with fans told to leave via a big screen message.
After a lengthy delay, the final three minutes were played without spectators. VAR ruled out Argentina's equalizer due to an offside, sealing Morocco's controversial 2-1 victory.