Olympic Football Erupts in Chaos: Morocco Fans Storm Field After Late Argentina Equalizer
The highly anticipated opening match
of the Paris Olympics men's soccer tournament descended into chaos as
Morocco fans stormed the field in protest of a late equalizer by Argentina.
With the score locked at 2-2 deep into stoppage time, Cristian Medina's
dramatic goal for Argentina sparked outrage amongst the Moroccan supporters.
Videos circulating online show a
large number of fans flooding the pitch at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in
Saint-Étienne. Images captured objects being thrown towards Argentina players,
with some appearing to flinch from a possible flare. Security personnel
struggled to contain the situation as bottles and cups littered the field.
The dramatic scenes stemmed from a
thrilling comeback by Argentina. Morocco had enjoyed a comfortable lead for
most of the match, going 2-0 up before Argentina clawed their way back.
Giuliano Simeone, son of legendary manager Diego Simeone, pulled a goal back in
the 68th minute, setting the stage for a tense finale.
The controversy surrounding Medina's
goal remains unclear. The official Olympics website reported the match was
suspended for a video review of a potential offside in the build-up. However,
the chaotic pitch invasion forced a lengthy delay, with organizers eventually
requesting fans vacate the stadium.
The outcome only partially reflects the dramatic conclusion
to the game at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne, which had to be
postponed for almost two hours due to enraged Moroccan supporters who attacked
the field and hurled bottles from the stands in protest of Argentina's late
goal in the 16th minute of added time.
There was confusion over whether the game had ended or been paused due to the
furious and unusual scenario. The players stayed on the field for an additional
three minutes of play in an empty stadium after the crowd was ordered to leave.
Cristian Medina's disputed goal was rejected by VAR for offside just moments
before play began, and Morocco managed to hold on for the victory.