By Chaos Erupts During Argentina-Morocco Clash at Paris 2024 Olympics
The highly anticipated match between Argentina and Morocco at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne, held on Wednesday as part of the Paris 2024 Olympics, descended into chaos following a string of incidents that severely disrupted the game.
Initially expected to be a major sporting event, the face-off turned into bedlam after a nearly two-hour interruption. Morocco’s young football stars, the Atlas Cubs, seemed poised for a straightforward victory thanks to a brace from Soufiane Rahimi (45’+2, 49’), pushing them ahead comfortably. However, Argentina’s Giuliano Simeone narrowed the gap in the 68th minute, and Cristian Medina’s goal in the 105th minute sparked a violent reaction from a small group of Moroccan fans. These supporters hurled projectiles onto the pitch and stormed the field.
Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg opted to halt the match, allowing the players to retreat to their locker rooms and consulting the VAR. Initially, everyone – from players to fans – believed the match was terminated. After enduring nearly two hours of confusion, the game resumed only for a brief final stint. The VAR eventually disallowed Argentina’s contentious goal for offside, and the match concluded with Morocco securing a victory amidst Argentine protests.
Reflecting on the extraordinary delay, Moroccan midfielder Bilal El Khannouss recounted the stressful yet focused wait: “With already fifteen minutes of added time, it was incredible. We didn’t truly feel the two-hour wait, but it was long. We were told to wait for the referee and police decisions, to halt the match, then resume while checking the VAR. We stayed calm and endured this together. In the end, the three points matter, and we are very happy,” he told L’Equipe.
Bilal El Khannouss shared his excitement on social media, featuring a celebratory image with teammates Hakimi and Munir, captioned “Les hommes! ”.
However, like his captain Achraf Hakimi and amidst speculation linking him to Olympique de Marseille, El Khannouss lamented the conduct of the fans who invaded the pitch, insisting, “Things like that shouldn’t happen.”
This match, which underscored significant organizational and security issues, continues to spark discussions and controversy.
[Tweet from @ActuHakimi]
