In a chaotic opening match of the Olympic football tournament, Argentina was defeated 2-1 by Morocco in Paris. The game was disrupted by a fan invasion, leading to play being suspended while the score was tied at 2-2. Argentina’s Cristian Medina appeared to secure a draw with a late goal, but it was disallowed following a lengthy VAR review. Play resumed in an empty stadium, with Morocco maintaining their lead.
The interruption came after Soufiane Rahimi put Morocco ahead just before halftime, assisted by Achraf Hakimi. Rahimi then scored again from the penalty spot in the 49th minute, giving Morocco a 2-0 lead. Argentina’s Giuliano Simeone managed to pull one back in the 68th minute. During stoppage time, Medina’s goal seemed to equalize the game, but chaos erupted as fans stormed the pitch and objects were thrown at players. Order was restored, and the teams left the field only to discover that the match had been suspended. After a prolonged discussion, the teams returned to play the final minutes.
Despite featuring recent Copa America winners Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi, and Geronimo Rulli, Argentina could not secure a draw. The gold medal winners in 2004 and 2008 had been now no longer at their best.
Meanwhile, in another Group C match, Spain narrowly defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 at the Parc de Princes. Spain initially struggled but took the lead in the 29th minute with Marc Pubill scoring from close range off an Abel Ruiz flick. Uzbekistan equalized just before halftime with Eldor Shomurodov converting a penalty following a VAR review for a foul by Pau Cubarsi.
Spain coach Santi Denia acknowledged the challenge posed by Uzbekistan and emphasized the need for improvement in ball circulation. Despite a missed penalty by Sergio Gomez early in the second half, Gomez redeemed himself by scoring in the 62nd minute to secure Spain’s victory. The game highlighted both teams’ determination and the unpredictable nature of the tournament.
Argentina’s equalizer vs. Morocco overturned in chaotic Olympic openerAfter trailing 2-0 earlier in the match, Argentina seemingly earned a draw against Morocco by scoring an equalizer in the 16th minute of second-half stoppage time.Argentina hit the crossbar twice in the sequence, first off a fantastic deflection from Moroccan goalkeeper Munir El Kajoui and then off an Argentina header. Cristian Medina finally got the ball into the back of the net with a header, knotting the game at 2-2 just before the final whistle.More than an hour later, Argentina’s goal was overturned and ruled offside. The sport then resumed for a couple of minutes of play with out a lovers withinside the stands and Morocco hung on for a 2-1 win.
Argentina received returned-to-returned Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008 however has now no longer handed a 10th-region end on the Games since. The crew will go back to the pitch on Saturday, July 27, in opposition to Iraq.
In one of the most chaotic matches in Olympic history, Argentina lost 1-2 to Morocco amid a series of disruptions. The match, held at Saint-Étienne’s Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, saw a fan invasion and prolonged suspension. Argentina coach Javier Mascherano described the event as “the biggest circus I have ever seen in my life.”
Argentina, featuring Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, faced a determined Moroccan side. Soufiane Rahimi scored both goals for Morocco, first in stoppage time at the end of the first half and then from the penalty spot in the 49th minute. Giovanni Simeone scored for Argentina in the 68th minute, and Cristian Medina appeared to equalize in the 16th minute of added time. However, Medina’s goal was disallowed for offside.
Chaos erupted as fans stormed the pitch, throwing bottles and objects at the players, leading to a suspension of the match. After order was restored, the teams re-emerged into an empty stadium about two hours later to play the remaining minutes. With the disallowed equalizer, Argentina ultimately lost 1-2.
In another Group C match, Spain defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 at Parc des Princes. Marc Pubill and Sergio Gómez scored for Spain, while Eldor Shomurodov, the captain of Uzbekistan, scored for his team. Despite a missed penalty by Sergio Gómez, he redeemed himself by finding the net in the 62nd minute.
Uzbekistan’s captain, Shomurodov, who plays for Cagliari in Serie A, was honored with the opening kick. Before the match, FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with the players.
Security was heightened at Saint-Étienne, especially with Israel playing Mali in Group D amid ongoing tensions in Gaza. The fervent atmosphere of the local supporters at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, known as “Le Chaudron” (The Cauldron), added to the intensity of the match.
Argentina suffered a 2-1 defeat to Morocco in their Olympic opener in Saint-Etienne, despite Julian Alvarez playing the full 90 minutes. After helping his nation to Copa America glory, Alvarez joined Javier Mascherano’s squad for the Games.
Argentina thought they had earned a point when Cristian Medina scored a close-range header in the 16th minute of second-half stoppage time. However, the match was suspended due to a pitch invasion and crowd disturbances, resuming over an hour later behind closed doors. After consulting VAR, officials ruled out Argentina’s equalizer for offside, securing Morocco’s victory.
The match saw early opportunities for both sides, with Morocco’s Ilias Akhomach and Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi missing chances. Morocco took the lead just before halftime when Soufiane Rahimi scored in the 47th minute. Rahimi doubled the lead from the penalty spot early in the second half after a foul by Julio Soler.
Mascherano’s substitution of Kevin Zenon for Giuliano Simeone paid off when Simeone scored to reduce the deficit. Despite Argentina’s late efforts, including Alvarez’s near miss, Morocco held on for the win. Argentina will aim to collect their first points against Iraq in their next fixture on July 27 at Stade de Lyon.
Morocco vs Argentina: Paris 2024 Match Preview and Prediction
Morocco’s Lions are determined to surpass their previous achievements following their victory in the AFCON tournament in 2023 by the national under-23 football team.In an exciting Paris 2024 Olympics Group B encounter, the Moroccan under-23 team, led with the aid of using instruct Tarik Sektioui, will face off towards Argentina these days at 2 p.m. at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne.
Fans can seize all of the motion stay on Arryadia beginning from 2 p.m., in addition to on BeIN Sports channels.
This suit guarantees to be a spectacle, pitting Morocco’s Lionceaux de l’Atlas towards the ambitious Albiceleste led with the aid of using Javier Mascherano.
With their senior team having won the 2022 World Cup and the latest Copa America, the Argentinians enter today’s game –and the tournament itself — as one of the favorites to win the title.
Morocco, for its part, secured their spot in Paris after winning the 2023 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
Led by star player Achraf Hakimi, the Moroccans will be looking to rely on their solid defensive structure and the attacking prowess of players like Soufiane Rahimi and Abde Ezzalzouli.
The Albiceleste boast a squad brimming with talent, Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi, and Geronimo Rulli, along growing stars like Thiago Almada.
The in shape units the level for a interesting duel among famous person players: Hakimi, the standout Moroccan player, and Alvarez, the Argentine ahead from Manchester City, who currently gained both the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America titles.