Explaining How the Argentina-Morocco Soccer Match at the Olympics Descended into a ‘Circus’

The Olympic men's football match between Argentina and Morocco ended in chaos as the game restarted nearly two hours after it initially appeared to finish, following crowd trouble and a last-minute equalizer.

Argentina seemed to have secured a 2-2 draw with Cristian Medina’s goal deep in stoppage time. However, the equalizer was later ruled out after intervention from the video assistant referee (VAR).

Timeline of Events

The Group B opener between Argentina and Morocco started at 2 pm BST/9 am ET at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Morocco took a 2-0 lead with goals from Soufiane Rahimi in both halves. Argentina reduced the deficit through Giuliano Simeone in the 68th minute. Argentina thought they equalized in the 106th minute with Medina's header, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside.

Following the disallowed goal, chaos erupted. Fans threw cups and bottles, and a few Moroccan fans invaded the pitch, leading to a suspension of the match. Riot police were deployed, and the game seemed to have ended at 4:10 pm BST/11:10 am ET. Broadcast feeds cut to the next fixture, and fans were asked to leave the stadium.

Restarting the Match

Around 90 minutes later, it was announced that Argentina’s equalizer had been disallowed. Players returned to an empty stadium, and the game resumed at 6 pm BST/1 pm ET. The referee reviewed the offside decision via the pitchside VAR monitor, confirming the offside. The match concluded three minutes later with Morocco securing a 2-1 victory.

Broadcast Confusion

Broadcasters scrambled to update viewers on the situation. In the U.S., USA Network provided highlights and context before switching to live commentary for the remaining minutes. The confusion extended to commentators and players, highlighting the unusual nature of the event.

Reactions

Argentina’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, was vocal about the situation, calling it a "circus" and criticizing the lack of communication. He claimed that at no point were they informed about the VAR review and that the match was suspended due to security concerns.

Lionel Messi, not participating in the Olympics, posted “Insolito” (unbelievable) on Instagram, echoing the sentiment of many fans and players.

Anthem Controversy

The Argentina national anthem was booed by Moroccan supporters, likely due to recent controversy involving Argentina international Enzo Fernandez. Fernandez had apologized for a derogatory chant against the French national team following Argentina's Copa America win, which may have fueled the animosity.

Upcoming Matches

Argentina will face Iraq in their next group-stage match, while Morocco will play against Ukraine. The top two teams in the group will qualify for the quarterfinals on August 2.

Digging deep into the VAR technology, and the Olympics, of the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, the following pictures was analysed for your review;