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• Argentina 1-2 Morocco: Crowd trouble causes two-hour delay as Atlas Lions hang on

  Morocco upset Argentina for a 2-1 victory in the teams' opening match at the Olympic Games, with the contest ending in chaotic fashion after a two-hour delay caused by crowd trouble.

  Morocco were on course for victory when Al Ain striker Soufiane Rahimi scored twice in a five-minute spell either side of half-time, before Giuliano Simeone halved the arrears for Argentina.

  Cristian Medina appeared to have equalised deep into stoppage time, but crowd trouble caused referee Glenn Nyberg to take the teams off the pitch before a VAR review could take place.

  It was ruled that Bruno Amione was offside in the build-up, and with the goal chalked off, the teams returned to play three further minutes in an empty stadium two hours later, Morocco holding on for a memorable win.

  Morocco inched ahead two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Ilias Akhomach bamboozling the Argentina defence with a wonderful backheel that allowed Bilal El Khannouss to cross for Rahimi to tap home.

  Within four minutes of the restart, Morocco had a chance to double their lead as the tricky Akhomach was pushed inside the area by Julio Soler. Rahimi stepped up to the spot and made no mistake, stroking his kick into the bottom-left corner.

  Javier Mascherano's team dragged themselves back into the contest with 22 minutes to play, though, as Soler's cross-shot was prodded in by the stretching substitute Simeone.

  It looked like Argentina had levelled 16 minutes into stoppage time as both Amione and Nicolas Otamendi struck the crossbar before Medina nodded home from almost on the goal line.

  However, some spectators then threw cups, bottles and pyrotechnics at the celebrating Argentina players, causing the teams to leave the field for almost two hours as fans were told to leave the stadium.

  With a VAR review ruling Amione was offside in the build-up to Medina's header, the game restarted at 2-1 to Morocco and the Atlas Lions clung on for a huge win.

• Morocco beat Argentina as Olympic opener finished after VAR call and two-hour delay

  Morocco were 2-1 winners over Argentina in their opening match at the Olympics, with Cristian Medina's potential equaliser disallowed as crowd trouble caused a two-hour delay. 

  Argentina looked to have salvaged a 2-2 draw from 2-0 down in Saint-Etienne, with Soufiane Rahimi netting twice before Giuliano Simeone pulled one back for La Albiceleste.

  Medina appeared to have equalised when he nodded home following a goalmouth scramble 16 minutes into second-half stoppage time, but crowd trouble then broke out with cups, bottles and pyrotechnics being thrown at Argentina's players by spectators.

  The referee took the teams off the pitch, and amid confusion over whether the final whistle had sounded, it was reported another three minutes would be played in an empty stadium.

  It was subsequently announced Argentina's potential leveller had been ruled out after a VAR review showed Bruno Amione was offside in the build-up.

  Another three minutes of stoppage time were then played out around two hours after the players had been taken off, with Morocco holding on to win 2-1.

  While Morocco now sit top of Group B with three points, Javier Mascherano's side – who were among the pre-tournament favourites – remain on zero. 

• Jamaica's Bailey, Shaw shorlisted for 2023-24 Concacaf Player of the Year Awards

  Jamaican superstars Leon Bailey and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw have both been shortlisted in the male and female categories for the Concacaf Player of the Year Awards, following their exploits for both club and country in the 2023–24 campaign.

  The nominees, who were selected for the coveted Confederation Award based on performance statistics and the input of football experts, were announced on Tuesday as fan voting also opened to allow football enthusiasts to vote for their favourite players.
  
  To be eligible to be shortlisted, players must have played for a Concacaf Member Association's senior Men's or Women's national team in eligible Concacaf and FIFA competitions and matches. Additionally, regardless of nationality, players must have represented a club in the 2023–24 season in a Concacaf and FIFA-sanctioned top division Men’s or Women’s professional league in the Concacaf region.

  Bailey, 26, had a superb season with English Premier League (EPL) outfit Aston Villa last season, in which he earned a few Player of the Month awards. He scored 10 goals and registered nine assists to help the club to a fourth-place finish in the league.

  Though his appearances, or lack thereof, on the international scene were marred by controversy, the dynamic winger did enough to make the shortlist, which also includes Adalberto Carrasquilla of Panama and Houston Dynamo.

  Jonathan David of Canada and French club Lille; Canada’s and Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies; Santiago Gimenez of Mexico and Feyenoord; and American Christian Pulisic, who also represents AC Milan, are the other nominees.

  Meanwhile, Reggae Girlz and Manchester City striker Shaw, had an unforgettable 2023–24 season in which she was named the 2023–24 Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) Player of the Season and was named the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Women Footballer of the Year.

  The 27-year-old, whose season was cut short due to a broken leg, registered 21 goals in just 18 appearances and also provided three assists.

  Shaw was the first player to score three WSL hat-tricks in a calendar year last year, and between November 2023 and January 2024, the forward again registered three trebles in just four matches.

  Finding the net in both WSL Manchester derbies, the Jamaican’s clinical finish at the Etihad Stadium in March also saw her become City’s record goalscorer, as she swept past Georgia Stanway in the process.

  By all indications, Shaw, who won the Concacaf Player of the Year award in 2022, seems set to repeat the feat on this occasion, but she will have five other nominees to contend with.

  They are Charlyn Corral of Mexico and Pachuca Femenil; Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay of Olympique Lyonnais; Adriana Leon of Canada and Aston Villa women; Mexico’s Jacqueline Ovalle of Mexico and Tigres Femenil; and American Sophia Smith of Portland Thorns.

  The voting process, which includes players, coaches, media, and fans, will determine the winners.

  A total of 100 votes will conclude the process, with 41 votes to be cast by Men’s national team head coach—one for each Concacaf Member Association—and 41 Men’s national team captain with the same stipulation.

  One vote each for the nine representative members from the Concacaf region will make up the nine media votes, while the remaining nine van votes will come through www.concacaf.com/awards. The player with the most fan votes will receive four votes in the overall voting process, second place three votes, and third place two votes, regardless of how many people vote online.

  The process is the same for the Women’s award.

  At the conclusion of the voting period, on August 2, the player in each category with the most votes out of the 100 available will be named 2023/24 Concacaf Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year.