The Albany Gazette - Spain win, Argentina off mark in Olympic men's football

Two-time gold medallists Argentina began their campaign at the Paris Games with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Morocco on Wednesday in Saint-Etienne in a match marred by crowd trouble.

However, Javier Mascherano's side registered their first points in Group B thanks to goals by Thiago Almada, Luciano Gondou and Ezequiel Fernandez in Lyon, with Aymen Hussein replying for Iraq.

The result allows Argentina to move level on three points with Iraq -- who beat Ukraine 2-1 in their opening game -- and Morocco. Ukraine and Morocco were due to meet later Saturday in Saint-Etienne.

The South Americans were reeling after the circumstances of their defeat by Morocco, in which they thought they had equalised in the 16th minute of injury time through Cristian Medina.

The teams were taken off the pitch due to the crowd trouble that followed, and Medina's goal was eventually disallowed after a VAR review before the final moments of the match were completed in an empty stadium.

There was no such controversy in Lyon, where Argentina went ahead on 14 minutes when Manchester City's Julian Alvarez laid the ball off for Almada to fire in the opener.

Iraq, who qualified after finishing third at this year's Under-23 Asian Cup, drew level in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time as captain Hussein rose to head in a cross from the left wing.

But Argentina went back ahead just after the hour mark. Argentinos Juniors forward Gondou had been on the pitch barely two minutes when he appeared unmarked at the back post to head in an inviting cross.

The third goal that secured the points came five minutes from time as Kevin Zenon laid the ball back for Fernandez, of Boca Juniors, to curl in a beauty from range.

Spain claimed a second win from as many games in Group C as the Tokyo silver medallists beat the Dominican Republic 3-1 in Bordeaux.

They went ahead midway through the first half as Barcelona's Fermin Lopez -- a member of Spain's triumphant Euro 2024 squad -- intercepted a pass out by goalkeeper Enrique Boesl to control and fire in.

It was all one-way traffic but the Dominican Republic -- appearing at their first Olympics -- surprisingly equalised on 38 minutes when Angel Montes de Oca headed in at a corner.

However, they were reduced to 10 men in first-half stoppage time when captain Edison Azcona received his marching orders for kicking out at Pau Cubarsi while on the ground.

Spain made the extra player count after the break, with Alex Baena's deflected strike restoring their lead before substitute Miguel Gutierrez, of Girona, tapped in on 70 minutes.

His goal was initially disallowed for offside before being given after a VAR check.

Their Group C rivals Uzbekistan and Egypt were due to meet later in Nantes.

Also on Saturday, heavily-fancied hosts France chase a second straight win when they play Guinea in Nice in Group A.

(J.Torres--TAG)