2-2: Argentina salvages a tie at the buzzer and the match ends at one game

Giuliano Simeone and Cristian Medina, the last at the bell, in the last action of a match that lasted until the 116th minute, allowed Argentina to avoid a knockout against Morocco (2-2) in their debut at the Paris Games , a debut that was about to become a real disappointment for the Albiceleste.

With everything lost, when at the beginning of the second half the African U-23 champion was 0-2, Javier Mascherano, Argentine coach, turned to the Alavés striker, who revived the Albiceleste with his ambition and goal, and in the final. push and in an eternal extension, he found the reward for his harassment and his faith in the final goal, after several rejections, including from the wood, by the midfielder of Boca Juniors.

The magic of Ilias Akhomach and the punch of Soufiane Rahimi put the Argentine team in full commitment, which in an instant, between the end of the first period and the beginning of the second, had 0-2 against a very good – armed rival who confirmed his ambitious project in this contest.

The talented Villarreal player, who trained in Barcelona’s youth ranks and was even a Spanish international in ‘smaller’ teams but finally decided to play for Morocco, tore apart Javier Mascherano’s Albiceleste , a victim of his inspiration.

After a balanced first period, with almost nothing finished, in the extension Ilias Akhomach invented a good technical gesture, including a backheel, which assisted Bilal Al Khannouss so that Rahimi, from the Emirati Al Ain, rose in balance.

Argentina left the entire second half to correct the situation. But just as the match resumed, a slight push by Julio Soler on Ilias’ own back was punished by Swede Glenn Nyberg’s penalty which Rahimi took.

Morocco put the match against an Argentina that did almost nothing. Julián Álvarez, one of the references of this group along with Nicolás Otamendi, Gero Rulli or Thiago Almada, did not appear. The forward of Manchester City, without the ball, was not noticed, as was Lucas Beltrán.

Mascherano didn’t take long to bring on Giuliano Simeone instead of Kevin Zenón to give his team more arrivals. A more than right decision by the ‘Little Boss’. The Alavés forward reactivated his teammates and was responsible for giving them hope by closing the gap in the 68th minute.

Three new substitutions and the last of ‘Diablito’ Echeverri was the last bet of the Argentine coach. The Albiceleste, upset, had its options, two very clear, a header from Bruno Amione and a goal from Julián Álvarez, but they were eliminated by Munir El Kajoui. He had to wait until the last act, a frenzy of rejections, to seal the tie that allowed him to save a point when he lost everything.

The mess at the end of the game

Medina’s goal in the 105th minute was the last thing the match gave itself, as Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg blew the final whistle and Morocco was not allowed to take a cross. However, after a very tense rivalry, some Moroccan fans, the majority, did not fare well.

A firework launched from the stands somewhere along the tunnel landed near a group of Argentine players without major consequences and a small group of Moroccan fans invaded the field of play, forcing stadium security to intervene.