Argentina’s coach, Javier Mascherano, called the tumultuous conclusion of his team’s 2-1 defeat to Morocco in the men’s Olympic football tournament a “disgrace” and a “circus.”
The game, marking the first football match of Paris 2024, was interrupted for nearly two hours due to crowd disturbances and ultimately finished in an empty stadium. With Morocco leading 2-1, Argentina seemed to equalize 16 minutes into second-half injury time, sparking a chaotic reaction from the crowd, including the throwing of bottles and a pitch invasion by fans in Moroccan colors.
The referee halted the game at 16:05 BST, and play resumed at 18:00 after fans were cleared from the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne. Just before play restarted, Argentina’s goal was disallowed for offside after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR).
Morocco managed to maintain their lead during an additional three minutes of play. Mascherano, who has won Olympic gold with Argentina in 2004 and 2008, expressed his disbelief at the situation: “I have not been a coach for long, but never in my career as a player have I seen a situation like that.”
He continued, “It is a circus. But that is how it is. We cannot control it. I told the boys that now we need to look forward, try to get the six points that will allow us to qualify, and that all this should fill us with energy and anger for what we have ahead of us.”
Initially, there was confusion over the match’s outcome, as the official International Olympic Committee (IOC) website incorrectly reported the match had ended. Mascherano explained that team captains initially agreed not to continue playing, and that the organizer “called Fifa” before deciding to resume the match.
He added, “It is a disgrace that this should happen and poison the tournament. This wouldn’t even happen in a neighborhood tournament. It’s pathetic. Beyond the Olympic spirit, the organization needs to be up to standard and at the moment, unfortunately, it is not.”
The tournament organizers released a statement saying, “The football match between Argentina and Morocco at the Saint-Etienne Stadium was suspended due to a pitch invasion by a small number of spectators. The match then restarted and was able to conclude safely. Paris 2024 is working with the relevant stakeholders to understand the causes and identify appropriate actions.”
Looking ahead, Argentina will face Iraq in Lyon for their second match on Saturday, while Morocco is set to play against Ukraine in Saint-Etienne the same day.
Credit: BBC Sport
