The opening match of the Olympic football tournament between Argentina and Morocco on Wednesday was marred by chaos and controversy. A fan invasion disrupted the game, leading to a suspension of play with the score tied at 2-2.
When the teams returned to the pitch to finish the match in an empty stadium, Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored deep in injury time to seemingly salvage a draw. However, the goal was controversially ruled out after a VAR review determined an offside in the build-up. The decision was made about two hours after play was initially suspended, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of the Argentine players and fans.
Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi, who recently led the team to Copa America 2024 victory, took to Instagram to express his disbelief at the events. He posted a story with the word ‘Insolito,’ which translates to ‘unusual’ or ‘uncommon’ in English.
The loss marks a disappointing start for Argentina in the Olympic tournament. Only three senior players are allowed in the under-23 team, with Messi, Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi, and Geronimo Rulli representing the senior contingent. The controversy surrounding the game adds another layer of disappointment for the Argentine squad as they look to bounce back in the upcoming matches.
