In a shocking upset, Morocco defeated two-time Olympic champions Argentina 2-1 in the opening match of the men’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Argentina vs. Morocco Men’s Olympic Soccer match played in Saint-Etienne, was marred by controversy and chaos that saw play suspended for nearly two hours.
Here are three key reasons why Morocco pulled off the stunning victory:
1. Soufiane Rahimi’s Brace
Moroccan forward Soufiane Rahimi was the hero of the day, scoring both goals for his team. Rahimi first found the back of the net just before halftime to give Morocco a 1-0 lead. He then doubled the advantage early in the second half by converting a penalty to make it 2-0.
2. Argentina’s Struggles
Despite fielding a star-studded lineup that included recent Copa America winners like Julián Álvarez, Nicolás Otamendi and Gerónimo Rulli, Argentina looked out of sorts for much of the match. They struggled to create clear-cut chances and fell behind 2-0 before Giuliano Simeone pulled one back in the 68th minute.
3. Controversial Ending and Fan Invasion
The match took a bizarre turn in the final minutes of stoppage time. Argentina’s Cristian Medina thought he had equalized in the 16th minute of added time to make it 2-2, sparking wild celebrations. However, the goal was disallowed by VAR for offside after a lengthy delay.
Moments later, Moroccan fans invaded the pitch to protest the disallowed goal, causing chaos as objects were thrown at players. The match was suspended and the teams left the field, but it was later determined that the final minutes would be played out.
After a nearly two-hour delay, the teams returned to an empty stadium to complete the match. Morocco held on for the final minutes to secure a famous 2-1 victory in a game that will go down as one of the most bizarre in Olympic football history.
The loss is a major setback for Argentina, who were hoping to bounce back from their shock defeat to Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup. Meanwhile, Morocco’s triumph is a huge boost for the African nation as they aim to make a deep run in the Olympic tournament.
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