CHAOS AND confusion reigned on Wednesday as Morocco beat Argentina 2-1 in their opening game of the men’s Olympic football tournament, but only after a late equaliser for the South American side was disallowed and the final minutes were played out in an empty stadium following crowd trouble.
Argentina thought they had escaped from the Group B match in Saint-Etienne with a 2-2 draw when Cristian Medina scored in the 16th minute of added time.
But as their players celebrated, projectiles including bottles and plastic cups rained down from the stands and several spectators entered the pitch, with the referee promptly blowing the whistle.
The teams left the playing area, but the referee had not blown for full-time and the outcome of the match was completely unclear until the sides finally reappeared two hours later to play out three more minutes in a stadium that was by now emptied of spectators.
Medina’s goal was eventually disallowed for offside following a VAR review, and Morocco held on to claim all three points.
It was an undignified start to the sporting action at the Paris Games, and a bad day all round for Argentina, whose players were booed as they emerged onto the pitch and during the national anthems by the crowd, most of whom were supporting Morocco.
That welcome came after Argentina players were filmed singing racist chants following their victory in the recent Copa America.
Argentina are looking to win men’s football gold for the third time after success in 2004 and 2008, but Javier Mascherano’s side trailed 2-0 following a brace by Soufiane Rahimi.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain full-back who is one of the biggest names featuring in the tournament, set up Rahimi for the opener at the end of a fine move in first-half stoppage time.
The reigning African U23 champions doubled their lead six minutes into the second half from the penalty spot. UAE-based forward Rahimi stroked in the spot-kick after Ilias Akhomach was brought down.
Argentina coach Mascherano, who starred in the teams that won gold in Athens and Beijing, had at one point hoped to persuade Lionel Messi to feature among the three permitted overage players in his squad otherwise limited to those under 23.
Messi opted not to come to the Paris Games, and the biggest names in their side here were Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez and captain Nicolas Otamendi, the Benfica defender.
Simeone, son of former Argentina star Diego, came off the bench to pull one back midway through the second half.
Medina then thought he had saved a point in the 106th minute as he nodded in after Otamendi and Bruno Amione had both hit the woodwork in a frantic few seconds of action, only for Argentina to be denied.
Group B rivals Iraq and Ukraine meet later in Lyon.
- Spain beat Uzbekistan -
Silver medallists in Tokyo three years ago, Spain opened their bid for gold with a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan in Group C at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
The Spain team featured two members of their Euro 2024-winning squad in Alex Baena and Fermin Lopez, but it was Marc Pubill who gave them the lead just before the half-hour mark.
Uzbekistan had chances and drew level from the penalty spot in first-half added time following a foul by Pau Cubarsi, with Roma forward Eldor Shomurodov converting the kick.
Cubarsi, the 17-year-old Barcelona prodigy, had been booked early on and did not reappear for the second half.
Sergio Gomez then had a penalty saved early in the second half, but the former Manchester City player netted Spain’s winner just after the hour mark as he fired in from Juan Miranda’s cutback.
Group rivals Egypt and the Dominican Republic drew 0-0.
The pick of Wednesday’s later games sees hosts France face the United States in Marseille in Group A, with Thierry Henry’s team hoping to win a medal despite failing in their attempts to enrol the services of Kylian Mbappe.
New Zealand defeated Guinea 2-1 in the same section with Plymouth Argyle’s Ben Waine getting the winner.
Tadhg De Burca is a fantastic hurler but having not played centre back all year for Waterford should the all star have gone to Austin Gleeson?
In fairness just because he didn’t wear 6 or play it in the orthodox way doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing centre back. In football Cian o sullivan will prob get centre back. Even though he wore 6 he played a very similar role to de burca.
The game is constantly evolving with new positions being taken up. It’s hard to account for this in a straight forward selection.
Agree De Burca class act but Gleeson for No.6
De Burca didn’t play centre back though. He played as a sweeper. There is no sweeper position on the All Star team.
Noel Connors corner back??
I absolutely don’t think Gleeson would have deserved it over De Burca.
Gleeson can be greedy and wasteful at times.
Gleeson without a shadow of a doubt young player of the year however.
Except he’s not nominated..
Jason Flynn before Mannion all day
Mannion disappeared in a few games. Gotta have Flynn over him. Bad call.
Mostly whenever Kilkenny were playing.
1 Kilkenny goalkeeper in 23 years has received an all star and they have won half of the all Ireland’s in that time.
I’d take that as a compliment to the outstanding backs Kilkenny have and have always had, Noel Hickey, JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Paul Murphy, Jackie Tyrrell, Michael Kavanagh, Philly Larkin, Willie O Connor etc keeper is well protected
Yeah I’ve heard that comment before to excuse the passing over of kk goalies
@Jason – I’m sure Brendan Cummins would gladly swop a couple of his All Stars for All Ireland medals!! I can assure you that the rest of the hurling world lives for the day that Kilkenny keepers start getting All Stars – a sure sign that they are losing matches!
De Burca winning one as a non marking sweeper is a joke. Puke hurling at its best. Watching Waterford this year was painful.
11 Leinster men and 4 Munster men – shows the sorry state of Munster hurling.
Munster hurling my hole!
11 kilkenny men. Shows the current state of kilkenny more than an entire province. Not denying munster hurling gone down hill. But theres 12 counties in leinster and only one has players named.
Actually 7 Leinster men, with 4 from both Munster and Connaught. Galway may play in the Leinster championship but they are not Leinster men.
You don’t say Niall!!! Wow, thanks for the Geography lesson. Galway play in Leinster so they are a Leinster province when it comes to hurling. Leinster are claiming Kerry next year too since ye don’t want them down there!!
Haha Galway are a Leinster provence, well you obviously need a geography lesson.
I said when it comes to hurling Niall. I’m delighted to welcome Kerry to Leinster too next year!
And you obviously need a English lesson as it should be *province
Yes if you said 11 men playing in the Leinster championship won you would be correct but to call a Galway man a Leinster man is wrong and to most insulting. The same way most Irish people hate when the English claim successful Irish men as British.
You are correct as I’m sure a few english lessons would do me no harm. You can give me a few english lessons and I’ll give you a few geography lessons.
A Galway man is a Leinster man when it comes to hurling.
Eoin Larkin unlucky Ger alyward score 312 from play and was outstanding when Kk need it most a no brainier
Who ever picked aylward has no brain alright!
John that has to be record. 312 From play , how many goals in the 312 ?
It’s gas with the goal keeper all star , the more ya let in the better chance you have of winning it, Darren Gleeson let in the most goals in last year’s championship and got it. In saying that the right choice was made this year.
Disappointed that Cathal Barrett didn’t get the nod for number 4
iarla tannion is the dirtiest hurler in the country thug doesn’t deserve an all star
Aylward over Canning is a horrendous call.
No it isn’t
You’re wrong Joe put up big scores in the qualifiers, but was carried by the younger guys on the Galway team in the latter end of the championship
On what grounds is it a “horrendous” call?aylward consistently scored throughout the championship and is well deserved.If i had to say someone fortunate to be getting an All Star on this years team I would say it is Cathal mannion as he had a poor Leinster final and followed that up with another poor performance in the all Ireland final
Jake must be Joe Canning. His three best games were against a terrible Dublin team and Laois. Hardly earth shattering for a supposedly top player.
Get your facts right! Galway didnt play in the qualifers! They played a quarter final against a fancied cork team at the time and blew them away in which Canning had a poor game! Canning was top scorer overall and 2nd top scorer from play (1 point behind Mannion) Aylward scored the majority of scores (58%) against a very poor Wexford team! Canning scored the same as Aylward from play in the All Ireland Final! Unfortunately Joe is the victim of his own scoring prowess and is expected to score 2-10 every game and if he doesnt he played crap! You say why Canning shouldnt have gottten it but give no reason why Aylward should have got it ,which backs up my point! He was vital to Galways run to the all ireland and they wouldnt have gotten there without him!
Apologies meant qtrs my point is still valid put a big score up against Dublin when the game was won, great goal in the Leinster final but little else, and against cork was poor and against Tipp fair to middling great start in the AI but nowhere to be found after 35 mins, he’s a fantastic hurler but didn’t deserve an all star this year that’s all
What did Aylward do that Canning didnt?
Won an All Star
Joe has three :)
Alyward has 3 All Ireland medals!!
Alyward was brilliant in 4 from 4 Kilkenny games. Canning was good in 3.5 games of 7 for Galway. Two against Dublin, one against Laois and a half a game against Kilkenny in the All Ireland final. He was average/poor in the other 3.5 games. Canning is a victim of people thinking he is better than he actually is. He puts up big scores against the weaker teams but disappears more often than not against the top teams.
Wouldnt have said he was brilliant Canning scored 1-8 in all ireland ayward scored 3 points
Here we go with how much a lad scored again!! Work rate, intensity, setting up plays and not disappearing for half a game all have to be taken in to account too. Canning & Alyward both scored 3 points from play.
Joes work rate against tipp was incredible! can’t judge him just on the 2nd half of the all Ireland Joe scored 4 points actually
John, Canning scored 3 points from play in the All Ireland. Get your facts right before you preach.
Let’s call it as it was, this was a poor hurling championship. Kilkenny never really looked like been beaten. The worrying thing for other counties is that most Kk people don’t really rate this team as they have been pulled together from very average under age teams.
The word is there are some very classy hurlers coming up in kk that I’m sure Cody will add one or two each year, as was the case this year with a number of kk players getting their first All Ire medal.
I can’t believe I going to say this, but is 3, 4 and possibly 5 in a row possible…
Waterford might not be the team to stop Kilkenny but I think the way they play will stop them doing the 4 or 5.
A more talented team may take a similar approach and execute it more successfully.
Having said that I still firmly believe that to beat Kilkenny you have to out score them rather than prevent them scoring. But some county might prove that wrong
My best of luck was to Hurler of the year and young hurler!! They are not named yet AFAIK
Can’t believe Eoin Murphy missed out yet again between the sticks for Kilkenny.Not taking anything away from Galway but he has a few Celtic crosses under the mattress now and hasn’t picked up an all-star.Strange I think especially when he commands his back line so well
I would had Cathal Barrett ahead of Noel Connors. Ger Aylward is lucky to get in also.
Best of luck everyone.
Eh, congratulations everyone!
No joe canning….ridiculous
Would have thought Pa Horgan would have been given the nod..
Instead of who? Wouldn’t think he was close to any of the players in inside forward line.
I presume that’s a joke Tony.
Iarla Tannion deserved a spot. Fantastic hurler.
Has to be a wind-up.
Why are positions thrown out the window when making an Allstar team!? Cathal mannion was unreal in corner forward not wing forward!
If Ramirez doesn’t get player of the tournament there is NO justice
That list just proves how boring hurling has become.
Shut up you clown
Make me shut up pal
Frankie “One -day” is happy today I see!!!
Interesting selection