The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

STANDINGS

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

STANDINGS

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi

The Morocco-Argentina football match at the Paris Olympics was halted for two hours on Wednesday in Saint-Etienne after angry fans invaded the pitch. Morocco were leading 2-1 when Argentine Cristian Medina headed home after two rebounds hit the post and crossbar (2-2) in the 16th minute of stoppage time.

After the equaliser, about 20 Moroccan fans entered the pitch, some water bottles and cups were thrown from the stands, and fireworks exploded at the foot of the Argentine bench, media reported.

After the equaliser, about 20 Moroccan fans entered the pitch, some water bottles and cups were thrown from the stands, and firecrackers exploded at the foot of the Argentine bench, media reported.

Unusual stoppage time

As the match approached the 90th minute, fourth referee Frida Klarlund indicated the addition of 15 minutes, a long period that sparked great controversy among Moroccans.

According to the “Opta” statistics network, the actual playing time in the Morocco-Argentina match was 54 minutes and 27 seconds, in a match that lasted a total of 110 minutes and 29 seconds.

The 15 minutes of stoppage time ended, and the referee was supposed to blow his whistle, but that did not happen, and Argentina managed to equalize in the 106th minute.

Without having time to verify the validity of the goal by reviewing the video assistant referee “VAR”, Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg asked the players to return to the locker rooms, without blowing the final whistle

Part of the crowd left the stadium on their own, thinking that the match was over, before a message arrived asking the last fans to evacuate the stands to resume the match behind closed doors.

This unusual period of time was not understood by Moroccans, whether the players or the fans present in large numbers in the stands or those watching from behind TV screens around the world. Midfielder Bilal El Khannous said, “We went to see the referee and asked him how much time was left: every time he said 5 more minutes, 5 more minutes, I have never seen that in my life.”

Why was the goal disallowed after two hours?

It took around two hours for all fans to leave the stadium and undergo security checks, according to a statement from FIFA, before the referee reviewed the video assistant referee to verify the validity of Argentina’s goal, and it turned out that the second-last player to shoot on goal, Bruno Ameyuni, was in an offside position.

The media photographer Muhanned al attabi