The 2024 Summer Olympics' men's football tournament kicked off on Wednesday with one of the most controversial fixtures in recent memory.
Argentina, who have won gold twice before (2004 and 2008), got things underway against Morocco in one of two simultaneous kick-offs — the other was Uzbekistan vs. Spain. However, La Albiceleste found themselves two goals down thanks to a brace from Soufiane Rahimi.
Argentina pulled one back in the 68th minute courtesy of a goal from Giuliano Simeone, the son of Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone. However, the South American heavyweights entered added time in desperate need of a winner, and here is where the chaos began.
A whopping 16 minutes of stoppage time was added, with Javier Mascherano's side equalizing in – you guessed it! — the 106th minute. Unfortunately, this led to a riot from the fans, with some supporters even invading the pitch.
Once order was restored, the players were ushered down the tunnel. However, while everyone thought the game had ended in a 2-2 draw, this was not the case. The match had only been suspended due to the havoc.
Nearly two hours after leaving the pitch, the players were called back to an empty stadium to see out the final three minutes, much to everyone's surprise — including both teams.
And if that was not enough, the first order of business was a VAR review of the Argentina equalizer that sparked everything. The goal was eventually ruled out for offside, with Morocco holding on in those final three minutes to secure a 2-1 victory.
Speaking after the game, head coach Javier Mascherano and veteran center-back Nicolas Otamendi, who was called up for this tournament, labeled this issue a disgrace. Mascherano went a step further, hitting out at the Morocco fans who invaded the pitch and hurled objects such as bottles and fireworks at his team.
The focus now shifts to Thursday when the women's football tournament kicks off. All eyes will be on the USWNT, led by the iconic Emma Hayes, as the Stars and Stripes aim to win a fifth gold medal. The four-time FIFA Women's World Cup champions kick things off against Zambia live on Peacock, Telemundo, and Universo. Click here for more info on how to watch the matches live.