Messi Shocked by Disallowed Goal, Mascherano Outraged: The first day of the Paris Olympics football event included a dramatic contest between Argentina and Morocco, with a late goal by the South American giants being disallowed two hours later. Argentina’s first match at Saint-Etienne was marred by controversy because their players sung a ‘racist’ song attacking French players during their Copa America title-winning celebration on the team bus. Despite lacking the majority of their Copa America players, Argentina’s young squad was booed by spectators during their match against Morocco. Some fans even entered the pitch after play was halted with the score tied at 2-2.
As the Argentine players celebrated their second goal, projectiles, including bottles and plastic cups, poured down from the bleachers, and many people entered the pitch, prompting the referee to blow the whistle.
Argentina was 1-2 down in injury time, and Cristian Medina scored a goal in the 90+16′ that appeared to be a 2-2 draw, but it was called off approximately two hours after play was paused.
The players departed the pitch, but the referee had not blown the whistle for full-time, therefore the conclusion of the match remained unknown until the teams returned two hours later to play three more minutes in a stadium that had now emptied of people.
Argentina football team captain Lionel Messi, who is not on the Olympic squad, reacted on Instagram after the goal was disallowed and the team lost the match.
Messi posted “Insolito” on his Instagram story. It translates as ‘unbelievable’ or ‘odd’ in English.
Argentina manager Javier Mascherano was astounded by what happened during the game, characterising it as “the biggest circus I’ve ever seen in my life”.
Argentina is attempting to win men’s football gold for the third Olympics after winning in 2004 and 2008, but Javier Mascherano’s team trailed 2-0 after a brace from Soufiane Rahimi.
Meanwhile, Argentina’s performance was disappointing, despite having Copa America champions Nicholas Otamendi, Julian Alvarez, and Geronimo Rulli in their lineup.
