Rabat – FIFA has rejected Argentina’s complaint regarding their match against Morocco during the Olympic Football Tournament, as revealed in a circulated copy of the governing body’s ruling.
The game, held at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne on Wednesday, ended with Morocco securing a 2-1 victory after a controversial VAR decision disallowed Argentina’s late equalizer.
The complaint was rejected based on Article 18 of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, according to converging reports.
The Group B opener saw Morocco take a 2-0 lead through goals by Soufiane Rahimi. Argentina managed to score in the 68th minute with Giuliano Simeone’s goal.
In the 106th minute of the game, Cristian Medina appeared to score a dramatic equalizer for Argentina, but celebrations were cut short as Moroccan fans invaded the pitch. This led to a suspension of the match, with players being forced off the field.
Nearly two hours later, a VAR review disallowed Argentina’s goal for offside, and the remaining minutes were played in an empty stadium with Morocco holding on for a 2-1 win.
Argentina’s coach, Javier Mascherano, denounced the situation as a “scandal” and criticized the handling of the VAR review and the repeated pitch invasions.
The Argentina Football Association then filed a formal protest with FIFA, demanding an explanation and measures to ensure player safety.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee later announced appointing an integrity expert to investigate the crowd disturbances and potential breaches of regulations.
Morocco’s captain Achraf Hakimi condemned the behavior of the pitch-invading fans and asserted that such actions tarnish the image of the team’s supporters.
