Argentina managed to score a last-minute equalizer in the 16th minute of added time, tying the game at 2-2. This sparked outrage among Moroccan fans at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne after a long spell of stoppage time led to the last-gasp goal.
Spectators were seen bypassing security to invade the pitch, prompting the referee to order players off the field. Despite the presence of riot police near the tunnel, projectiles from the stands rained down on the pitch as Argentine players fled.
This incident occurred during the first round of Olympic soccer matches this year. After Argentina scored, pitch invaders halted the game entirely. Players were escorted off the field while riot police guarded the tunnel.
However, after an hour of the game being suspended, Cristian Medina's goal was ruled out by VAR due to being offside. Kick-off was at 9am ET, with the game not resuming again until 1pm ET. By the time it finished, with Morocco eventually winning 2-1, the game had been going on for more than four hours.
Notable players for Argentina included Geronimo Rulli, Nicolas Otamendi, and Manchester City's treble-winning forward Julian Alvarez. Meanwhile, PSG star Achraf Hakimi represented the red and green for the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists.
Early signs of tension were evident when the large contingent of Moroccan fans booed the Argentine national anthem. The Atlas Lions supporters were in high spirits for most of the match, as Soufiane Rahimi's two goals - one before and one after halftime - gave Morocco an unexpected lead.
However, Argentina's Giuliano Simeone managed to reignite hope halfway through the second half, and Cristian Medina scored in the 106th minute to secure a draw for Argentina. Iraq and Ukraine are the other two teams in Argentina and Morocco's Olympic Games group.
But the Argentina vs Morocco match wasn't the only game on the opening day of the Games that was marred by controversy. A bomb scare occurred prior to Spain's clash with Uzbekistan in Paris.
Reports suggest that an unattended bag was found between Parc des Princes and Roland Garros, prompting local police to quickly seal off the area. Ticketing issues reportedly left thousands of fans stranded outside the stadium, many of whom missed the start of the match.
Spain ultimately won the match 2-1, while Egypt and the Dominican Republic faced off in the other Group C match later that Wednesday evening.
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