By In a dramatic turn of events, Morocco triumphed over Argentina with a 2-1 victory in a surreal opening match of the Paris 2024 Olympic Football Tournament. The game, which took place on Wednesday, saw the Atlas Lions leading comfortably with a two-goal advantage until the final 30 minutes of play, when Medina equalized for Argentina in the 90+15th minute.
Pandemonium ensued as fans from both teams believed the game had ended in a draw. However, the official Olympic website soon announced that the match had merely been paused due to objects being thrown onto the pitch at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium and that Medina’s goal was under VAR review. Ultimately, the equalizer was disallowed due to an offside ruling, and the match resumed 1 hour and 50 minutes later. Just three minutes after play recommenced, the final whistle blew, confirming Morocco’s victory.
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, expressed his astonishment on social media. In an Instagram Story, Messi, who is usually reserved, simply posted the word “Insolite” along with an emoji depicting his surprise.
Argentina’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, was also vocal about his frustration with the chaotic situation, calling it “the biggest circus” he had ever witnessed. Meanwhile, speculation grew about the Argentine Football Federation possibly appealing to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the controversial decision.
As things stand, Morocco is elated and will aim to secure their spot in the next round with a win over Ukraine on Friday.
