Play was stopped with the score level at 2-2 due to a crowd invasion during Argentina’s and Morocco’s inaugural Olympic football match on Wednesday. Argentina was ultimately defeated 2-1 after a video assistant review.
Cristian Medina of Argentina scored deep into extended time to save what seemed to be a 2-2 tie, but the goal was ruled out over two hours after play was halted and the game was played in front of an empty crowd.
Pictures of several Argentina players trembling after something that looked like a flare was thrown surfaced. By the conclusion, the field was littered with cups and bottles.
It was also indicated on the Olympics website that the contest was “interrupted.”
The game was still going on, according to the venue’s organizers, almost an hour after it happened. In order to restart play, players were being held at the stadium. Fans were told via video boards that the game was halted and they needed to exit the stadium.
There will be a video review of Medina’s goal to look for potential offsides, according to the boxscore on the Olympic media website.
Argentina’s comeback came after Morocco had taken a 2-0 lead in the contest.
In stoppage time, Medina tied the score after Giuliano Simeone’s goal in the 68th minute.
Viewers jeered Argentina because of the issue over Enzo Fernández’s video, which the French Football Federation described as “racist and discriminatory.”
Even though they started with recent Copa América champions Julián Álvarez, Nicolás Otamendi, and Gerónimo Rulli, the gold medal winners in 2004 and 2008 did not play to their greatest ability.
In the dying moments of the first half, Soufiane Rahimi gave Morocco the lead after Achraf Hakimi set him up from the right with a brilliant passing play.
In the 49th minute, Simeone gave Javier Mascherano’s team a one-point lead before Rahimi extended the lead and scored his second from the penalty spot in the 68th.
After Medina scored 16 minutes into stoppage time, anarchy broke out in the eastern city of France as spectators invaded the ground and threw items at the players.
Before Israel’s 1-1 tie with Mali later in the day, the squad was met with loud jeers during the national anthem.
There was a heavy security presence outside the stadium before to kickoff, which was fitting given the tense worldwide situation that has put Paris’ safety measures front and center.
The Israeli squad came surrounded by a large police contingent, with motorcyclists leading the way and perhaps a dozen riot police trucks in behind. The Parc des Princes stadium was monitored by armed police officers, one of whom had a gun slung over his shoulder. Around 7:30 p.m., Gérald Darmanin, the interior minister of France, and Laurent Nunez, the head of the Paris police, arrived at the stadium.
Still, the mood outside the venue was serene. Supporters from the two nations interacted, waving flags and posing for pictures.
When the Mali anthem was played first, the supporters sang with pride. Boos and whistles broke out as soon as Israel’s anthem began. Then, it looked as if an attempt was made to muffle the jeers by turning up the volume on the stadium sound system playing the anthems.
Israeli players were jeered every time they touched the ball after play started. An altercation between several fans looked to be becoming hot, so security personnel interfered. The disturbance happened next to a lady who was waving a Palestinian flag. Then two other individuals stood behind the lady, both clutching flags supporting Palestine.
Israel took the lead in the 57th minute of play thanks to an own goal by defender Hamidou Diallo. The score ended at 1-1. A few minutes later, Cheickna Doumbia’s strong header gave Mali the equalizer, sparking wild jubilation among the big number of Mali supporters.
As the teams started play in Group A, France defeated the United States 3-0 behind a flurry in the second half.
Following a goalless first half, France’s senior star Alexandre Lacazette opened the floodgates with a blast past American goalkeeper Patrick Schulte to make it 1-0.
After a little while, Michael Olise, who had just completed a headline-grabbing transfer from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich, doubled the advantage, and just before the end, Loïc Badé headed home to give Thierry Henry’s team the first victory and top place in Group A.
France had to fight hard against an American squad before finding its rhythm; Djordje Mihailovic’s shot struck the crossbar with the game still goalless. The next goal was Lacazette’s, practically immediately.
In the men’s soccer competition, the United States is competing in its first Olympics since 2008. It is now ranked third, behind only New Zealand, who defeated Guinea 2-1 in the day’s other Group A match.
In the 29th minute of their match against Uzbekistan, Marc Pubill scored from close range after Abel Ruiz flipped the ball. Spain had trouble getting going early in the game.
Spurred on by a jubilant crowd, Uzbekistan equalized just before halftime with a penalty kick from Eldor Shomurodov after a VAR review for a foul committed by Pau Cubarsí.
After the interval, Sergio Gómez’s penalty attempt was stopped by Abduvohid Nematov, giving Spain a perfect opportunity to tie the score again. However, the Real Sociedad star made amends, scoring in the 62nd minute to give Spain their first three points in Group C.
In the meanwhile, New Zealand defeated Guinea 2-1 in Nice to win their Group A opening thanks to a goal from Ben Waine.
In the twenty-fourth minute, Guinea’s goalie Soumaila Sylla dived to block captain Matthew Garbett’s effort from the penalty spot. After a swift comeback, New Zealand led 1-0 when Garbett scored a minute later.
After a video review, Aliou Balde’s goal looked to level the score for Guinea in the 62nd minute, but it was declared offside. With the game-tying goal by Amadou Diawara in the 72nd minute, the squad eventually broke through.
A minute later, Waine’s goal from beyond the area gave New Zealand the response.
New Zealand is participating in the Olympics for the fourth time. At the Tokyo Games, the so-called OlyWhites made it to the quarterfinals before losing to host Japan on penalties.
Guinea was competing in its first Olympics.
Egypt and the Dominican Republic played to a scoreless draw in Group C in Nantes.
Early in the game, Peter Gonzalez seemed to have scored for the Dominican Republic, but it was disallowed due to a run-up foul.
Egypt is the most African country to have participated in 13 Olympics, however they have never advanced above fourth place. At the Tokyo Games, the team advanced to the quarterfinals.
Mohamed Salah was expected to play for Egypt at the Olympics as a senior player, but he chose to concentrate on Liverpool’s preseason instead. The former midfielder for Arsenal, Mohamed Elneny, serves as the team’s captain.
The Olympic debut of the Dominican Republic was being made.
Japan defeated Paraguay 5-0 in Group D thanks to two goals each from Shunsuke Mito and Shota Fujio.
After Wilder Vera was sent off in the 25th minute in Bordeaux, Japan scored four goals in the second half to fully capitalize on Paraguay being reduced to 10 men. After a VAR review of a foul on Yu Hirakawa, Vera was given red.
Mito had already opened the scoring in the eighteenth by then. In the 63rd, he added another.
After six minutes, Rihito Yamamoto doubled the score. Fujio, who replaced Mito in the 73rd, added goals in the 81st and 87th minutes to complete the victory.
Iraq defeated Ukraine 2-1 thanks to a late goal from substitute Ali Jasim in Group B.
Valentyn Rubchynskyi’s first goal in the 53rd minute gave Ukraine the lead in Lyon, but Iraq was shortly granted the opportunity to tie the score with a penalty kick.
In the 56th, Ali scored the game-winning strike, and in the 75th, Aymen Hussein converted.
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