With two goals scored by Giuliano Simeonethe Argentine National Team Sub 23 won once again against their counterpart from Paraguay in La Fortaleza de Lanús, where Javier Mascherano’s team won this Monday 2 to 0 in the second friendly preparation for the Olympic Games.
Those led by the “Jefecito” are in the final phase of preparation for Paris 2024, which will begin on July 26. In this competition, the Argentine National Team shares Group B with Morocco, Iraq and Ukraine.
The Sub 23 had several changes compared to the one that beat the Guarani 4-0 last Saturday on the Huracán fieldwith goals from Kevin Zenón, Lucas Beltrán in duplicate and Pablo Solari.
On the sunny afternoon in Lanús, the coach opted for an alternative eleven with only two immovable starters up front: Thiago Almada (Atlanta United of the United States) and Luciano Gondou (Argentinos Juniors). To the team they completed the archer Leandro Brey (Mouth); Joaquin Garcia and Damian Fernandez (both from Vélez), Bruno Amione (Santos Laguna de México) and Julio to usually do (Lanús); Alan Varela (Porto), Santiago Hezze (Olympiacos), Simeone (Alavés) and Thiago Fernandez (Vélez).
The first minutes lacked risk situations and the scoreboard opened newly at 36when Almada greatly enabled to usually dowho reached the bottom from the left and sent a center that found in the heart of the area to Simeone, who headed sharply to the ground changing the direction of the ball and beating the Paraguayan goalkeeper.
The second goal arrived on plugin startupwhen one of the children of “Cholo” Simeone grabbed the rebound from a high rejection, controlled and he took a very powerful shot from the door of the area and made it 2 to 0, which would be definitive. Paraguay tried to react and had a couple of situations: Caballero had the clearest and the new Marcelo Pérez (known as “Mbappérez” in Huracán) could have scored, but they were unsuccessful.
The minutes passed, Mascherano moved the bench and with the final whistle a very positive week of work was rounded off. Now we have to wait for the coach’s decision – and the players’ clubs, of course – to know who will make up the list of 18 surnames that will go to Paris 2024 in search of the gold medal, after those obtained in 2004 and 2008.
It is worth remembering that The Under 23 Team got a ticket to the Olympic Games after an agonizing classification in the South American which was played in Venezuela, in which they defeated Brazil in a head-to-head match on the last date to finish in second place (Paraguay was champion) and thus get the ticket to Paris.
