In a dramatic and unprecedented turn of events at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, the match between Argentina and Morocco was temporarily halted for nearly two hours before the referee annulled Argentina’s equalizer and resumed play with an additional three minutes. Ultimately, Morocco secured a 2-1 victory in the opening round of Group B in the men’s football competition.

The second half included 15 minutes of stoppage time, during which Argentina managed to score an equalizing goal against Morocco in the 16th minute of added time. In a chaotic sequence, midfielder Cristian Medina headed the ball into the net, appearing to secure a 2-2 draw. Immediately following the goal, several Moroccan fans stormed the pitch, throwing objects towards the Argentine players, prompting the riot police to step in and restore order

Argentina’s players celebrate Medina’s goal amidst a rain of objects at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, Saint Etienne, France, on July 24, 2024. Image: Reuters

Initially, Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg intended to continue the match but ultimately blew the whistle to signal the end after Medina’s goal due to the pandemonium. As players from both teams shook hands, flares and bottles continued to rain down on the pitch, forcing both teams to retreat to the tunnel for safety.

Initially, the match at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium seemed to have concluded with a 2-2 draw, but VAR discreetly intervened. Subsequently, the Olympic organizers unexpectedly declared Medina’s goal invalid, citing an offside infringement by Bruno Amione during the attacking play.

After nearly two hours of suspension, the match resumed behind closed doors with an additional three minutes added on, during which Morocco maintained their lead and ended the match with a 2-1 victory.

Argentina’s players return to warm up at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium after a nearly two-hour suspension. Image: Reuters

Prior to the controversy, the refereeing team had already sparked debates by allowing a 15-minute injury time period during the second half, at a time when Argentina was trailing. According to L’Equipe, the extended stoppage time was due to several overly enthusiastic fans invading the pitch, causing interruptions. ESPN criticized the score adjustment by the organizers as unprofessional, embarrassing, and unprecedented. “A dismal start to the Olympics even before the opening ceremony,” ESPN commented.

Throughout the official 90 minutes of play and the additional 15 minutes, the match was described by England’s Daily Mail as “as intense as a final, not just a group stage game.”

Despite playing on a neutral field, it felt like Argentina was the away team against Morocco. The Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium stands were dominated by the traditional red colors of the African team, due to France hosting more than 1.5 million Moroccans. Argentine fans, though fewer in number, were still noticeable, with some young fans running onto the pitch to take pictures with Julian Alvarez during the match. Both sides left undesirable impressions, such as lighting flares, throwing bottles onto the field, and attacking players.

When Argentina’s national anthem was played, the stands were filled with boos and whistles. Moroccans, possibly joined by the French, expressed their displeasure over what was deemed a racist incident involving Enzo Fernandez on July 14, which caused a significant stir in the football community.