PARIS: Paris Olympics organisers are looking into what led to a pitch invasion during the opening match of the Olympic soccer tournament between Argentina and Morocco. The disruption led to the suspension of the match, which was initially tied 2-2. Following a VAR review, the final score of 2-1 to Morocco was confirmed two hours later when play was restarted.
“The football match between Argentina and Morocco at the Saint-Etienne Stadium was suspended due to a pitch invasion by a small number of spectators,” Olympic organizers said. “The match was subsequently restarted and was able to finish safely. Paris 2024 is working with the relevant stakeholders to understand the cause and identify appropriate measures.”
During stoppage time, Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored what appeared to be an equalizer, but it was ruled out for offside after a VAR review. The decision was announced about two hours after play was suspended. Following the pitch invasion, which involved security staff chasing fans around the pitch, the match resumed and was completed in an empty stadium. The teams played three minutes and 15 seconds of added time after a VAR review disallowed the goal, marking a chaotic start to the tournament.
