Fans Throw Bottles at Players and Rush the Field: Controversy on the First Day of the Olympics, Disruption Halts Football Match

The Paris Olympics 2024 has kicked off with a bang. Even before the official opening ceremony, the games have already begun. Yesterday, on July 24, the football and rugby sevens matches started. 

One notable match was between FIFA champion Argentina and Morocco in football. This match was not without controversy, as fans caused an uproar. Argentina faced defeat in this match, losing 2-1 to Morocco.

The match between the two teams was held at the Geoffroy Guichard Stadium in Saint-Étienne. At one point, the Moroccan team was leading 2-0. Argentina, playing without their star player Lionel Messi, saw Cristian Medina score two goals to equalize the match at 2-2. 

However, this led to a significant outburst among Moroccan fans present in the stadium. Moroccan fans threw bottles at the Argentine players and stormed the field during the match.

Moroccan Fans Target Argentine Players Over Referee’s Decision

A controversy erupted during the Paris Olympics football match between Argentina and Morocco. Argentina managed to score a goal during stoppage time, ending the match in a 2-2 draw. 

However, Moroccan fans were unhappy with the referee’s added injury time and targeted Argentine players by throwing water bottles at them. Some fans even stormed the stadium, causing panic among the players who had to flee the field.

Referee Rules Goal Offside

In the context of this match, according to the official website for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the goal scored by Argentine player Cristian Medina during injury time was ruled offside by the referee and subsequently canceled. 

Following the match, there was visible anger among Argentine players and fans, with experienced player Lionel Messi even posting on Instagram expressing his disbelief. Argentina’s team coach, Javier Mascherano, also stated after the match that it was the biggest circus of his life and that he had never seen anything like it.

Match Completed in Empty Stadium

While the Argentine team was tied 2-2 in the match, Moroccan spectators in the stands suddenly began throwing bottles onto the field, targeting Argentine players. During this disturbance, some spectators even entered the field, but they were removed by the police. Argentine players also needed to be given additional security. 

Ultimately, the match was completed in an empty stadium after all spectators were removed. Additionally, the referee disallowed a second goal for Argentina, resulting in a 2-1 victory for the Moroccan team.

Match Resumed Two Hours After Controversy

After the commotion, it seemed that the match had already reached its full time. The official FIFA website also indicated that the match was over. However, two hours after the match had ended, players were called back to the field. After a warm-up and playing for an additional 3 minutes, the match was finally completed.