Olympics 2024: Morocco beat Argentina amid fan invasion chaos

A fan invasion within the opening match of the Olympic soccer match between Argentina and Morocco on Wednesday induced chaos, with Argentina ultimately crushed 2-1 following a VAR evaluation after play was suspended with the rating tied at 2-2.

Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored deep in harm time to salvage what seemed like a 2-2 draw, however the determination ruling out the aim was delivered about two hours after play was suspended when the groups re-emerged on to the pitch to complete the match in an empty stadium.

There have been pictures of some Argentina gamers flinching when what seemed to be a flare was thrown. Bottles and cups had been strewn over the sphere by the top.

The Olympics web site additionally confirmed the match as “interrupted.”

About an hour after the incident, organisers on the venue stated the match was not formally over. Gamers had been being saved on the stadium to renew play. Video boards knowledgeable followers the match was suspended they usually needed to depart the stadium.

The boxscore on the Olympics’ media web site stated there can be a video evaluation of Medina’s aim to test for attainable offsides.

Morocco had led the sport 2-0 earlier than Argentina’s combat again.

Giuliano Simeone scored within the 68th minute and Medina leveled the sport deep into stoppage time.

Argentina had been booed by spectators for Enzo Fernández’s video controversy labelled by the French Soccer Federation as “racist and discriminatory.”

The gold medal winners in 2004 and 2008 did not show their greatest play regardless of lining up latest Copa América winners Julián Álvarez, Nicolás Otamendi and Gerónimo Rulli.

Soufiane Rahimi put Morocco forward as Achraf Hakimi set him up from the precise after an outstanding passing transfer within the last seconds of the primary half.

Rahimi doubled the benefit and netted his second from the penalty spot within the forty ninth minute earlier than Simeone pulled one again for Javier Mascherano’s facet within the 68th.

Medina then discovered the online 16 minutes into stoppage time earlier than followers stormed the pitch and objects had been thrown at gamers as chaos erupted within the French jap metropolis.

In the meantime, Spain, who struggled to seek out their tempo within the opening levels of the sport, took the lead within the twenty ninth minute in opposition to Uzbekistan with a close-range end from Marc Pubill off Abel Ruiz’s flicked ball.

Uzbekistan, cheered by an ecstatic crowd, equalised simply earlier than halftime because of Eldor Shomurodov’s penalty following a VAR evaluation for a Pau Cubarsí foul.

Spain wasted a golden likelihood to revive the lead after the break when Sergio Gómez’s penalty effort was saved by Abduvohid Nematov, however the Actual Sociedad participant redeemed himself and located the online within the 62nd minute to earn Spain their first three factors in Group C.

In the meantime, Ben Waine scored the go-ahead aim and New Zealand received their Group A opener 2-1 over Guinea in Good.

New Zealand had been awarded a penalty within the twenty fourth minute, however Guinea goalkeeper Soumaila Sylla dove to punch away captain Matthew Garbett’s try. New Zealand rapidly recovered and Garbett scored a minute later for a 1-0 lead.

Aliou Balde appeared to equalise for Guinea within the 62nd minute, nevertheless it was dominated offside after video evaluation. The group lastly broke by way of with Amadou Diawara’s game-tying aim within the 72nd.

New Zealand answered a minute later with Waine’s aim from out in entrance.

It’s the fourth time that New Zealand are making an Olympic look. The OlyWhites, as they’re recognized, superior to the quarterfinals on the Tokyo Video games earlier than falling to host Japan on penalties.

Guinea had been making their Olympic debut.

In Group C in Nantes, Egypt and the Dominican Republic performed to a scoreless draw.

Peter Gonzalez’s obvious aim for the Dominican Republic early within the match was referred to as again due to a foul within the run-up.

Egypt have been to the Olympics 13 occasions, probably the most by an African nation, however have by no means completed increased than fourth. The group made the quarterfinals on the Tokyo Video games.

It was hoped that Mohamed Salah would be a part of Egypt as a senior participant for the Olympics, however he declined to deal with Liverpool’s preseason. The group is captained by Mohamed Elneny, the previous Arsenal midfielder.

The Dominican Republic had been making their Olympic debut.

Shunsuke Mito and Shota Fujio scored two objectives every in Japan’s 5-0 rout of Paraguay in Group D.

Japan took full benefit of Paraguay being lowered to 10 males in Bordeaux when Wilder Vera was despatched off within the twenty fifth by scoring 4 objectives within the second half. Vera was proven purple following a VAR evaluation of a foul on Yu Hirakawa.

By that time, Mito had already opened the scoring within the 18th. He added a second within the 63rd.

Rihito Yamamoto made it 3-0 six minutes later and Fujio, who got here on for Mito within the within the 73rd, rounded off the win with objectives within the 81st and 87th.

Substitute Ali Jasim got here on to seal a 2-1 comeback win for Iraq in opposition to Ukraine in Group B.

Ukraine had led by way of Valentyn Rubchynskyi’s opener within the 53rd in Lyon, however Iraq was rapidly given the possibility to degree from the penalty spot.

Aymen Hussein transformed within the 56th and Ali struck the winner within the seventy fifth.

Iraq is prime of the group, degree with Morocco on three factors.

Data from Reuters and The Related Press was used on this report.