The Argentina Sub 23 Team who drives Javier Mascherano continues with the fine-tuning for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. and closed their tour with the second friendly against Mexico, falling by a worrying 3 to 0.
With a different team than the one that stopped in the first friendly against the same team (it was an Argentine victory by 4 to 2), The big news was in the decision to put Nico Paz and Claudio Echeverri as starters in the Argentine Sub 23. The talented players had interesting moments, but it was not enough for the national team to win.
Hard defeat of the Sub 23 against Mexico
The first minutes were back and forth and a great game was anticipated in Puebla, with an initially uncertain result. }
After a great combination between Alan Varela and Paz, Luciano Gondou had the first goal at his feet, but could not define comfortably before the departure of Tapia, at 26 minutes. Immediately after, came a flurry of plays from the Mexican team that turned Fabricio Iacovich into a figure. First, with a great save twice at 27 minutes. Then, in the next play he cleared a free shot that was in danger of scoring. Finally, in the subsequent corner, he reflexively contained a bicycle kick that could have been the first for the locals.
The Mexican team began to prevail at the end of the first half and at 36 minutes they got a penalty after a foul by Gonzalo Luján on Santiago Muñoz, who took charge of the shot from 12 steps and gave the partial advantage.
The second half began with a dangerous play for Argentina, at the feet of Román Vega. However, the winger’s shot went wide and did not represent much of a risk for Tapia. Despite this initial reaction, the national team could not find answers and, to make matters worse, He ended up suffering another goal, at 17 minutes, after a great mid-range shot by Ramiro Árciga.
For the second half the team Mascherano had the ball more thanks to the income of Cristian Medina and Thiago Almada, but it wasn’t enough.
The Argentine Sub 23 formed with Fabricio Iacovich; Juan Nardoni, Gonzalo Luján, Aaron Quirós, Román Vega; Juan Sforza, Alan Varela, Nicolás Paz; Santiago Castro, Claudio Echeverri and Luciano Gondou. Coach: Javier Mascherano.
Those led by Mascherano will begin their journey in the Olympic Games on July 24 at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Étienne against Morocco, champion of the last Under-23 African Cup of Nations. Then, on July 27 at the Stade de Lyon , Argentina will face the third placed team in the AFC Under 23 Asian Cup, a competition that will take place from April 15 to May 3 in Qatar. The first phase will close on July 30, again at the Stade de Lyon. In that scenario they will clash against Ukraine, a team that finished in third place in the Under 21 Euro Cup. It is worth noting that the two best from each zone will advance to the quarterfinals.
Source: Ambito
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