Paris, July 24— The opening day of the Paris Olympics saw an unprecedented series of events during the Argentina vs. Morocco football match, culminating in a 2-1 victory for Morocco amid controversy and chaos.
Javier Mascherano described the situation as a "circus," and Lionel Messi called it "unbelievable." The Argentina Football Association has lodged a formal complaint with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee following the contentious match, which featured fireworks, bottle-throwing, and a disputed VAR decision.
The match, held at St. Etienne's stadium, quickly descended into chaos. Argentina, who recently won the Copa America, trailed 1-0 at halftime. A penalty kick early in the second half extended Morocco's lead to 2-0. Argentina managed to pull one back with a goal from Giuliano Simeone in the 68th minute, making it 2-1.
The drama escalated in the final minutes of extra time. Argentine midfielder Facundo Medina scored what seemed to be the equalizer in the last minute, sparking outrage among Moroccan supporters, who responded by throwing bottles and setting off fireworks. The situation became so volatile that police had to intervene, clearing the stands to restore order.
The match took a surreal turn when, about an hour after it had supposedly ended, players were summoned back to the pitch. VAR had ruled out Argentina's second goal for offside, prompting the field manager to declare the game was still ongoing. The match resumed behind closed doors for an additional 3 minutes and 15 seconds, ultimately ending with Morocco still leading 2-1.
The entire ordeal stretched the 90-minute match into a four-hour marathon, with only 54 minutes and 27 seconds of effective playing time. The second half alone was marred by numerous fouls, lasting just 26 minutes and 5 seconds.
The controversy surrounding the VAR decision to disallow Argentina's goal two hours after it was scored has sparked widespread debate. In response, Lionel Messi expressed his disbelief on Instagram, saying, "It's unbelievable."
The Argentina Football Association's complaint to FIFA centers on the chaotic handling of the match, the delayed VAR decision, and the safety concerns arising from the crowd's behavior. As the football world watches, FIFA's response to this extraordinary incident will be closely scrutinized.
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