The Spanish under-18 team started its defense of the Mediterranean Games football title achieved in Tarragona 2018 with a defeat (0-1) against the host Algeria. The team trained by Pablo Amo did not know how to impose their game at any time and ended up succumbing to the local team, which was animated from start to finish by the almost 15,000 people who filled the seats of the New Sig Stadium.
The match started with Spain pressing up high trying to impose their game. Only the first 5 minutes had been consumed when the clearest came for the Spaniards: a poor clearance by the Algerian goalkeeper Boualem left the azulgrana Fabio Blanco with everything in his favor on the edge of the small area, but he was unable to find a goal. As the minutes progressed, Algeria, spurred on by its public, grew and felt more and more comfortable. Quite the opposite of Spain, which was diluted with the heat and a grass that made it difficult for the ball to flow.
The African team would find the prize for the goal in minute 28 with a shot from Mehoi Harrantz against which the culé goalkeeper Ander Astralaga could do nothing. The Ajax player shot with the tip of his boot from outside the area and sent the ball to the same squad. great goal The difficulties to create danger for Pablo Amo’s boys continued and Algeria managed to reach the break with a favorable 1-0 without suffering more than necessary.
The young Spaniards entered the second half better and took control of the game, even so, their game was still sterile, so the Algerians had no problem giving up the ball. Time was running in their favor and they took advantage of any minimal opportunity to scratch seconds off the clock. In fact, one of these attempts to waste time by the Algerians led to a brawl at 76′ when Spain was about to serve a corner. Everything came to nothing and it seemed that the Red signed his surrender from this moment. Resignation is the word that best defines the party of Spain.
After this Sunday’s defeat, Spain’s next match on Tuesday against France looks like an early final. And it is that in case of not getting the victory, the classification for the semifinals would be very complicated. For now, France and Morocco will meet this Sunday at 9pm. As for Group B, Turkey beat Greece (2-1) and Italy and Portugal will also meet this Sunday at 9pm.
The 2022 Mediterranean Games are the first relevant tournament faced by the generation of 2004, after the suspension of the European Championship and the U-17 World Cup due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Joel Vidal
