Stewards catch pitch invaders during the men’s Group B football match between Argentina and Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the Paris Olympics 2024, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Saint-Etienne, France. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
MARSEILLE, France— On a wild opening day for the Paris Olympics men’s football tournament, the United States came within the width of the crossbar from taking the lead against host nation France.
Within moments, Alexandre Lacazette had the ball in the back of the Americans’ net — and when Michael Olise added a second for the French, they were on their way to a 3-0 win.
“It was unfortunate — on another day maybe it goes in,” said Djordje Mihailovic, whose long-range effort came back off the bar when the Group A game in Marseille was still goalless in the second half. “I think most importantly, (we need to) emotionally recover because we were in the game for the first 70 minutes, even after they scored, we responded very well.”
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Earlier in the day, Morocco beat Argentina 2-1 in a game that was suspended for about two hours because fans invaded the pitch deep into stoppage time. And the U.S. looked like it could produce another upset when repeatedly opening France up in the first Olympic game for American men since 2008.
“I can’t say anything to the players. They were in the right spot,” U.S. coach Marko Mitrovic said. “I have that feeling inside that we didn’t deserve to lose this way.”
The United States never came closer than Mihailovic’s effort, and France made the most of its fortune — responding with stunning strikes from Lacazette in the 61st minute and Olise in the 68th.
Loic Bade added the third with a header in the 85th.
“I knew it was going to be tough. You guys never give up,” France coach Thierry Henry told American reporters afterward. “That fighting spirit is always in you. You always believe that you can come back. I know that. I played in MLS, I coached in MLS, so I know that’s something that you have.”
It was two moments of quality that ultimately put France in control, with former Arsenal striker Lacazette driving low from around 20 yards past U.S. goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
New Bayern Munich signing Olise curled a shot from distance into the same corner.
Bade’s header effectively put the game away and saw France move to the top of Group A, ahead of New Zealand, which beat Guinea 2-1.
“There was definitely stuff to make us feel good going into the next two matches,” Mihailovic said.
Morocco 2, Argentina 1
Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi celebrates his side’s second goal scored by Cristian Medina during the men’s Group B football match between Argentina and Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the Paris Olympics 2024, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Saint-Etienne, France. The goal was disallowed by VAR for offside. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Morocco secured an unforgettable win over Argentina — but not before furious fans invaded the pitch to protest what appeared to be an equalizer by Cristian Medina in the 16th-minute of stoppage time.
Objects were thrown onto the field and security had to restrain fans, causing the game in Saint-Etienne to be suspended for nearly two hours and the crowd being told to leave the stadium.
The goal was eventually ruled offside just before play resumed, drawing celebrations from Morocco players as the final minutes concluded.
It was a chaotic and dramatic start to the tournament after Argentina, which won gold medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and is considered among the favorites in France, mounted a comeback after going 2-0 down on goals from Soufiane Rahimi on either side of halftime.
Giuliano Simeone struck in the 68th minute and Argentina peppered Morocco goalkeeper Munir El Kajoui with shots before Medina’s header from close range appeared to tie it.
That caused outrage from Morocco fans, who rushed the field, while others threw trash, and the game was officially put on hold.
Rahimi had put Morocco ahead in first-half stoppage time, then converted on a penalty kick in the 49th, which proved to be the decisive goal against an Argentina team that included four members of the squad that won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Spain 2, Uzbekistan 1
Sergio Gomez scored the winning goal in Spain’s victory over Uzbekistan to open Group C.
The match at Parc des Princes in Paris was the first official competition of the Olympics and drew some 35,000 fans.
Marc Pubill scored in the 29th minute for Spain, which won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics. The team has won silver twice since then, most recently at the Tokyo Games.
Eldor Shomurodov converted on a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time to tie it for Uzbekistan, which was making its first Olympic appearance.
Gomez had a penalty saved by Abduvohid Nematov in the 59th minute, but some three minutes later he scored from about 12 yards out.
New Zealand 2, Guinea 1
Ben Waine scored the go-ahead goal and New Zealand won its Group A opener over Guinea in Nice.
New Zealand was awarded a penalty in the 24th minute, but Guinea goalkeeper Soumaila Sylla dove to punch away captain Matthew Garbett’s attempt. New Zealand quickly recovered and Garbett scored a minute later for a 1-0 lead.
Guinea leveled with Amadou Diawara’s goal in the 72nd, but New Zealand answered a minute later through Waine.
New Zealand advanced to the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Games, while Guinea was making its Olympic debut.
Egypt 0, Dominican Republic 0
Egypt and the Dominican Republic played to a scoreless draw in Group C in Nantes.
Peter Gonzalez’s apparent goal for debutant Dominican Republic early in the match was called back because of a foul in the run-up.
Egypt has been to the Olympics 13 times, the most by an African nation, but has never finished higher than fourth. The team made the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Games.
Japan 5, Paraguay 0
Japan’s Shunsuke Mito, center, celebrates scoring his side’s opening goal during the men’s Group D football match between Japan and Paraguay at the Bordeaux stadium at the Paris Olympics 2024, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Bordeaux, France. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Shunsuke Mito and Shota Fujio scored two goals each in Japan’s rout of Paraguay in Group D.
Japan took full advantage of Paraguay being reduced to 10 men in Bordeaux when Wilder Vera was sent off in the 25th by scoring four goals in the second half. Vera was shown red following a VAR review of a foul on Yu Hirakawa.
By that point, Mito had already opened the scoring in the 18th. He added a second in the 63rd.
Rihito Yamamoto made it 3-0 six minutes later and Fujio, who came on for Mito in the in the 73rd, rounded off the win with goals in the 81st and 87th.
Iraq 2, Ukraine 1
Substitute Ali Jasim came on to seal a comeback win for Iraq against Ukraine in Group B.
Ukraine had led through Valentyn Rubchynskyi’s opener in the 53rd in Lyon, but Iraq was quickly given the chance to level from the penalty spot.
Aymen Hussein converted in the 56th and Ali struck the winner in the 75th.
Iraq is top of the group, level with Morocco on three points.
Mali 1, Israel 1
Mali came back from a goal down to tie Israel at Parc des Princes in Paris in Group D.
Israel took the lead through an own goal from Mali defender Hamidou Diallo before Cheickna Doumbia headed into the bottom corner to even the game.