Argentina Sub-23Venezuela Sub-2322
A penalty taken by forward Kevin Kelsy in the 90+9 minute gave host Venezuela a 2-2 draw with Argentina on the first day of the final quadrangular of the South American Olympic Qualifiers, which delivers two places in Paris-2024. The maximum penalty was called at 90+7 for an elbow by Gonzalo Luján on the left back Renné Rivas. Lujan was expelled.
The locals had taken the lead with an own goal by goalkeeper Leandro Brey in the 16th minute and Argentina had turned the game around with an own goal from center back Carlos Vivas in the 39th minute and the fourth score of this tournament by Thiago Almada in the 61st minute.
Venezuela finished with ten men and Argentina with nine: Bryant Ortega for Vinotinto and Valentín Barco for Albiceleste saw red cards in the 44th minute.
Argentina, coached by Javier Mascherano, started with impetus, but the local goalkeeper, Samuel Rodríguez, showed good reflexes and also had a bit of luck, as in the 12th minute, when a shot from Almada surpassed him and the ball hit the the club before bouncing off his back and disappearing down the last line.
Venezuela, however, would move forward with a counterattack. Brey diverted the ball into his own goal when trying to intercept a low cross launched by David Martínez after a devilish gallop.
Rodríguez’s display of saves continued, but a moment of poor communication with Vivas meant that a harmless cross meant the albiceleste tie.
The break came amid tensions due to the clash between Ortega and Barco.
Barco threw a ball at his rival’s head and Ortega reacted the same, to which the referee responded with two red cards.
The locals took greater precautions in the resumption, to redouble their bet on the cons.
And they were dangerous: Andrés Ferro headed wide after a corner in the 58th minute and attacker Kevin Kelsy, coming on from the bench, had a one-on-one situation that he could not resolve.
When things looked most difficult for Argentina, Thiago Almada emerged. The Qatar 2022 world champion made his way through three defenders in the area, made a one-two with Santiago Castro and finished.
Venezuela, despite this, did not surrender and in the added time was rewarded for its refusal to capitulate. Brazil, in the early hours, lost 1-0 to Paraguay.
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