Women’s Copa América: the comeback tournament and Banini’s farewell?

From German Portanova he became the technical director of the Argentine national team, expected returns, including that of Estefania Banini, announced in March. This Saturday, she and her teammates will embark on a new adventure, as they did three years ago at the historic World Cup in France. It will be in Colombia, where the Copa América will be played. However, the return could also become the farewell of the Mendoza.

“It will definitely be my last dance in the Argentine national team”, has assured Vía Mendoza that he will now leave the 10 to wear the shirt of 22 and will play after three years of absence. The Atlético de Madrid player wants to give “the best” of herself and that is why the appointment in Colombia, which offers three seats for the World Cup that Australia and New Zealand will organize next year, seems ideal.

His presence, long awaited when Carlos Borrello – the former DT – was reluctant to call her again, adapting to the subject of a renewal even if he later called another historian like Florencia Bon Segundo, will be Saturday, when Argentina will debut against Brazil, the latest champion, candidate and dominator of South American women’s football.

In addition to Banini and Bon Segundo, the team led by Portanova will have in their ranks Ruth Bravo, Soledad Jaimes, goalkeeper Vanina Correa and the double defense command composed of Agustina Barroso and Aldana Cometti, as well as Mariana Larroquette. There will also be young blood led by Dalila Ippolitoand new players who have started the renewal of the selected team.

“There’s not much left. I’d like to play my whole life, but it’s getting harder and harder to recover from injuries, plus it affects being away for so long. Now I try to enjoy the present, day by day, and I know I am in my last stretch. I would like to retire with the best of myself. Later, I will have to contribute from another place. It is important that the girls have their role models to guide them and I am not talking about me but in general so that they can make a career in women’s football, “Banini, 32, added in that interview.

The ninth edition of the women’s Copa América begins this Friday at the Pascual Guerrero stadium, with the confrontation between Bolivia and Ecuador, both teams in Group A together with Colombia, Chile and Paraguay. But Argentina will debut on Saturday (at 21 on DirecTV) in the classic South American, for the first date of group B in which Venezuela, Uruguay and Peru will also be present.

Then, again at the Centenary Stadium in Armenia, Argentina will face Peru on Tuesday 12 July, again from 21:00; Uruguay, which has never beaten him in the history of Copa América, on Friday 15 at 18; while the zone will close against the Venezuelans on Thursday 21st at 9pm. To qualify, they will have to be between first and third place in the group.

In the second stage, those who are in third place in each zone will face each other in the definition of fifth placewhile the first will be measured against the second of the other in the semifinal.

The national team has been concentrated in the city of Armenia, home of the group stage, since Wednesday, when it left Buenos Aires at dawn and arrived after a stopover in Bogotá. Moreover, this Thursday afternoon, he has already carried out his first training session, at the Alpidio Mejía Municipal Stadium, and on Friday at 10:30 he will recognize the Centenary Stadium.

“I think we are doing very well. We are making full use of the time we have. There are many players who have already finished their tournament with their teams and this month of preparation has been very positive for us to keep getting to know each other, to continue playing. consolidate things and I think emotionally we are very well, “said Solana Pereyra, the 23-year-old goalkeeper who had already participated in the 2019 World Cup and the Pan American Games in Lima that same year, where Argentina was silver.

In addition, the woman from Tucumán, who is part of the renewal, confirmed that the goal “in the group is to qualify for the World Cup “. “For me, being here is already a dream. Being on the list of 23 is what many players want and it is the best thing for a player: to represent his country,” he remarked on the AFA website.

There was a last minute change

Player Marianela Szymanowski has suffered a shoulder injury that will prevent her from participating in the competition. For this Érica Lonigro replaced her in the phone call.

The mix of historical and sub 21

Among those called up by Portanova there is a mix of experience and youth. Banini is the leader of 14 historical footballers, to which five new names have been added (Julieta Cruz, Romina Núñez, Gabriela Chávez, Marina Delgado and Érica Lonigro) ranging from 26 to 33 years, and four other players of the 2000 generation: Daiana Falfán (21), Dalila Ippolito (20), Sophia Braun (20) and Maricel Pereyra (20).