Referee Ilgiz Tantashev Injured and Substituted During Spain vs. Morocco Olympics Semifinal, with Spain Securing 2-1 Victory in Late-Game Thriller

Referee Ilgiz Tantashev from Uzbekistan was forced to leave the field early in the Olympics semifinal between Spain and Morocco on August 5, 2024.

Just 15 minutes into the match, Tantashev sustained an injury when he was accidentally knocked down by Spain's defender, Marc Pubill, near midfield. The injury led to a swift substitution, with the fourth official, Glenn Nyberg of Sweden, stepping in to officiate the remainder of the game.

The match took place at the Orange Vélodrome in Marseille, France, and kicked off at 5:00 PM WAT. Despite the disruption caused by the referee’s injury, the game continued with both teams showing considerable determination.

Spain ultimately emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over Morocco. The scoring opened with Soufiane Rahimi of Morocco converting a penalty kick in the 22nd minute. Spain quickly responded with Fermin Lopez scoring the equalizer just a minute later with a powerful shot from inside the box. The decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute when Juanlu scored the winning goal for Spain, delivering a thumping shot into the right bottom corner of the net.

The match’s result secured Spain’s place in the final, showcasing their resilience and ability to adapt despite the early disruption.