2024 Paris Olympics chaos: Argentina lose to Morocco after last-minute equalizer disallowed after hour delay

The Olympics has not even formally begun but however its most dramatic second may have already got taken place. Over an hour after many thought that Cristian Medina had earned an equaliser for Argentina with the final shot of a dramatic sport, their group stage sport in opposition to Morocco resumed behind closed doorways, a VAR examine ruling out the equaliser. Having survived three of essentially the most weird minutes of soccer the Olympic Video games have ever seen, Morocco emerged victorious to take high spot simply after the later sport in Group B had begun. 

Cristian Medina thought he had turned a two aim deficit into an important draw for one of many pre-tournament favorites, prompting jubilant scenes on the Argentine bench that have been greeted in hostile vogue by the Saint-Etienne crowd, missiles flung within the path of the pitch. That prompted referee Glenn Nyberg to take the gamers off the pitch earlier than the sport had completed, although that information was not instantly obvious to Olympics organisers.

For greater than half an hour the competitors web site mentioned the sport had been “interrupted” earlier than subsequently concluding that the match had actually completed. An hour after Medina’s aim that wasn’t, each side have been again on the the sphere on the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard, supporters having lengthy since departed as they started a 20 minute heat as much as be adopted by three minutes of additional motion.

As an alternative, it was African youth champions Morocco who began a lot the brighter, Paris Saint-Germain proper again Achraf Hakimi a specific brilliant spark in a managed begin to proceedings. Roared on by a crowd the place even these with no rooting curiosity had taken in opposition to Argentina — perhaps in light of the controversy sparked by a racist chant from the senior squad after they won the Copa America earlier this month — Morocco probed and interchanged impressively, a flowing crew transfer organising Soufiane Rahimi to fireside them into the lead at shut vary as half time loomed.

The drama had solely simply begun. Although Argentina noticed a lot of the ball within the second half they appeared quick on concepts for what to do with it, crashing in opposition to an organised opposition protection. Had theirs been arrange as successfully then Ilias Akhomach wouldn’t have been in a position to glide previous veteran Nicolas Otamendi and into the field. Julio Soler might need felt that the hand he positioned on the Villarreal ahead’s again was not sufficient to ship him down, but it surely invited hazard. Akhomach hit the ground and Nyberg concluded it was a penalty, duly transformed by Rahimi.

Soler at the least made amends by teeing up substitute Giuliano Simeone quickly after, guaranteeing that Argentina had just one aim to make up going into what seemed to be the ultimate third of the sport. Nevertheless this match by which 33 fouls have been dedicated ran and bumped into quarter-hour of added time that have been a veritable siege on the Moroccan aim.

It appeared as if Tarik Sektioui’s aspect might need weathered the storm when a flicked header from Julian Alvarez discovered neither a teammate nor the goal late on. Nevertheless a high quality sort out simply contained in the Moroccan third afforded one final probability for Thiago Almada, previously of Atlanta United, to create some chaos. Slaloming previous two defenders his first shot was blocked, his second spilled by Munir El Kajoui. Otamendi was satisfied he had scored off the rebound solely to see El Kajoui tip the ball onto the bar. An prompt later it was struck once more, Bruno Amione’s flick bouncing again onto the top of Medina, who appeared to have earned a valuable level for the 2 time gold medalists. 

Nevertheless a flurry of missiles, seemingly cups and flares from the stands, appeared to quell Argentine celebrations and prompted the gamers to desert the pitch. The quarter-hour of added time have been solely the beginning of it then. Not till round 7 p.m. native time was the sport even approaching its conclusion, one which felt slightly like a coaching floor drill the place 11 pink shirts bid to carry agency in opposition to Argentina. They did so in spectacular vogue, incomes a victory that can set them honest in pursuit of a medal.