2024-07-28 03:01:00
The Argentine U-23 team beat Iraq 3-1 in the second match of Group B of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The goals for the albiceleste were scored by Thiago Almada, Luciano Gondou and Ezequiel Fernández.
With this victory, Argentina placed itself in first place in Group B, with a goal difference of Morocco and Ukraine, who won 2-1 in the other match of the day, and two goals over Iraq, all with three points.
During the first half of the match, Argentina created great scoring chances with a good ability to connect between the midfielders and the forwards.
However, the problem for Mascherano’s team was the physical aspect: the Asians had a significant dominance in the height of their players. At minute 13, the albiceleste erased the zero from the scoreboardwith a pass between the lines from Julián Álvarez that reached Thiago Almada.
The Argentine number 10 scored the first goal of the match with quality. At 45, Lucas Beltrán had to be replaced by Giuliano Simeone due to discomfort in his lower back. “My back became stiff”Beltrán said before leaving the field.
In the four minutes of added time, Iraq attacked down the flank. Ahmed Hasan sent in a cross that landed on Aymen Hussein’s head. The Iraqi striker scored with a header at the goal guarded by Gerónimo Rulli and scored the equaliser.
In the second half of the match, the Argentines continued to insist on defining the plays to regain the advantage on the scoreboard. At 17, the newly substituted forward, Gondou, gave Argentina the lead again with the second goal of the match. The conversion came with a header inside the small area.
In the 40th minute, Argentina scored its third goal, thanks to a powerful shot from outside the area by Fernández that ended up in the corner of the goal defended by Hussein Hassan.
The next meeting for those led by Javier Mascherano It will be against Ukraine, on Tuesday, July 30 at 12 noon local time.