Defeat for the Argentine Under-23 national team on their way to Paris 2024: final 3-0 defeat against Mexico in Puebla

THE Argentina Under 23 team In the early hours of this Tuesday he had a hard stumble in their preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The team led by Javier Mascherano collected a painful 3-0 against against Mexico, a rival beaten 4-2 a few days ago, at the start of the tour.

The local team hit the Albiceleste team at the right time and achieved an unassailable victory at the Cuauhtémoc stadium in the city of Puebla. The thing is Argentina, which was far below its potentialdid not find the answers necessary to overcome adverse scenarios.

Only a shot by Juan Sforza and a strike by Nicolás Paz that Luciano Gondou was unable to finish could count for Mascherano’s team in the first half, a chapter in which the Mexicans managed to take the lead with a penalty converted by Santiago Muñozafter a foul committed by Luján against the same Aztec player.

The difference for the hosts, however, could have been made before the 38th minute and, if it didn’t succeed, it was only because of the three great interventions by goalkeeper Fabricio Iacovich.

The complement found Argentina with the firm intention of equalizing the result, but the game did not accompany them. The intermittent appearances of Paz and Claudio Etcheverri, added to the limited offensive presence of Santiago Castro and Gondou, made the path to the rival goal too long.

Only a mid-range shot by Román Vega, which went wide, could be considered a risky action for the Argentine team, until Ramiro Árciga began to judge the result. Halfway through the final phase, the young Mexican tries from afar and slots the ball near the Estudiantes goalkeeper’s left post to make it 2-0.

In added time Mexico finished the match, for the defense sector which was more difficult for Argentina to cover, the left. Once again with Árziga, although this time the Mazatlán player entered the penalty area and finished crosswise.

The closure of the commitment was only a reflection certain impotence of the Argentine kids in the context of an adverse night. In one of the last actions, Luján hit with a ball an opponent who had fallen due to an infringement and a moment of tension was created between the two teams. Fortunately, the bad weather dissipated quickly.

It was undoubtedly an important coup for the team led by Mascherano in their preparation for Paris 2024, where they will share group B with Ukraine, Morocco and third place Asia. In any case, the glass half full shows that there is still time and material to correct the mistakes and get to that tournament in the best possible way.