‘A disgrace’ – Javier Mascherano laments Argentina vs Morocco Olympic game clash controversy

Argentina coach Javier Mascherano called the events surrounding his team’s 2-1 defeat by Morocco in the opening game of the men’s Olympic football tournament a “disgrace” and “a circus.”

Two-time gold medallists Argentina believed they had secured a 2-2 draw in the Group B match in Saint-Etienne when Cristian Medina scored in the 16th minute of added time. However, crowd trouble erupted, and the players were taken off the pitch before Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg could blow for full time.

The match outcome remained unclear for some time, with the official IOC website indicating it had ended. After a two-hour delay, the teams returned to the field to play the final three minutes in an empty stadium. Medina’s goal was eventually disallowed for offside following a VAR review, allowing Morocco, with two goals from Soufiane Rahimi, to hold on for the win.

“I have not been a coach for long, but never in my career as a player have I seen a situation like that,” said Mascherano, who won gold medals with Argentina in 2004 and 2008. “It is a circus. But that is how it is. We cannot control it. I told the boys that now we need to look forward, try to get the six points that will allow us to qualify and that all this should fill us with energy and anger for what we have ahead of us.”

Mascherano explained that the captains of both teams had agreed not to restart the game after Medina’s goal due to projectiles, including plastic cups and bottles, being thrown and spectators invading the pitch. “The captains decided not to play on at that point, and as time went on different versions (of events) started to appear,” he said. “The annoying thing is that the match was suspended. If you are going to review something, review it just after the incident.”

He criticized the decision to bring the players back out to complete the match, saying, “They called FIFA. I don’t know who took it, but everyone was involved. It is a disgrace that this should happen and poison the tournament. This wouldn’t even happen in a neighbourhood tournament. It’s pathetic. Beyond the Olympic spirit, the organization needs to be up to standard and at the moment, unfortunately, it is not.”

Argentina is set to play their second match on Saturday in Lyon against Iraq, while Morocco will face Ukraine in Saint-Etienne the same day.