The Argentina Sub-20 team defeated Guatemala 3-0 on the second day of Group A, in a match that was played at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero and which allowed the hosts to secure their passport to the round of 16 of the tournament.
With goals from Alejo Véliz, Luka Romero and Máximo Perrone, the Albiceleste prevailed with authority against the Central Americans to continue with an ideal score of six points, while the Chapines close the area still without adding integers, with New Zealand in second position with four and Uzbekistan with one.
Read also: Guatemala debuts with defeat in the Sub 20 World Cup
Coach Javier Mascherano of Argentina made two changes to the starting eleven against Uzbekistan with the addition of Tomás Avilés in defense and Juan Gauto in offense to rotate his squad.
On the side of Guatemala, led by Mexican coach Rafael Loredo, there were also three modifications compared to the debut against New Zealand with the additions of Rudy Muñoz, Jeffry Bantes and Arian Recinos.
The local team was more than its rival from the start of the game, with Valentín Carboni and Matías Soulé as the axes to supply Alejo Véliz and Juan Gauto.
And in the 17th minute, the Albiceleste achieved the first advantage on the scoreboard with a precise cross from Juan Gauto so that Alejo Véliz beat the two central defenders in the jump to leave Jorge Moreno without options.
⏱️ FINAL MATCH | FIFA U20 World Cup.
🇦🇷Argentina (3) 🆚 (0) Guatemala🇬🇹#ElijoCreer #VamosGuate #SelectionMode pic.twitter.com/2ttmBHeDKc
— FEDEFUT GUATE (@fedefut_oficial) May 23, 2023
Options for Guatemala
Guatemala had an option with Arquímedes Ordóñez in the axis and a shot from Carlos Santos that found a good reaction from goalkeeper Federico Gómez Gerth to shoot the ball at the corner kick.
Alejo Véliz and a shot from Matías Soulé marked Argentina’s two options to increase the lead, but they did not have the finesse to convert and went into the break with the minimum on the scoreboard.
In the plugin Carlos Santos received the second warning in minute 57 and just five minutes later Argentina increased the lead with an exquisite shot from the admitted Luka Romero that left Jorge Moreno’s effort sterile.
From that moment on, both the Albiceleste and the Bicolor rotated their benches and the game slowly came to an end with a timeout for central defender Tomás ‘Toto’ Avilés to be sent off in Argentina in the 81st minute for a hard challenge against Edy Palencia.
However, in the last minute of discount, Argentina reached the third goal with a rebound captured by Máximo Perrone to define alone.
The third and last date of this Group A will be played next Friday also with a double day: in Santiago del Estero they will play Uzbekistan against Guatemala, while Argentina will move to San Juan to define the first position with New Zealand.
🎙 Valentín Barco: “We met our first objective: to get into the round of 16. I hope we finish first in the group but we have to go step by step”. pic.twitter.com/hbssjusqvY
— 🇦🇷 Argentina National Team ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) May 23, 2023
