Adolfo Gaich scores only goal as Argentina U23 win 1-0 vs. Japan

By
Roy Nemer
-
54

Adolfo Gaich scored the only goal of the match as the Argentina U23 team got the 1-0 win vs. Japan.

In the first of two friendly matches vs. Japan, Fernando Batista’s men would draw first blood. As both teams begin preparation for the Olympic games in Tokyo, it was an Adolfo Gaich goal that would be the difference.

A cross by Valenzuela in midfield found Vargas who would run towards goal and cross the ball into the penalty area. His cross would find Gaich as the Argentine would score, with the ball bouncing off of the crossbar and in to give his team the 1-0 lead.

Here was the starting eleven:

Jeremias Ledesma, Hernan De La Fuente, Nehuen Perez, Nazareno Colombo, Milton Valenzuela, Santiago Ascacibar, Santaigo Colombatto, Fernando Valenzuela, Matias Vargas, Agustin Urzi, Adolfo Gaich

Prior to the match, the Argentina team all wore a number 10 shirt in honor of the late great Diego Maradona who passed away in November. In addition, they played in the new Argentina shirt which was released by Adidas a few days ago.

The team play their second friendly match vs. Japan on Monday.

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54 Comments

  1. As per givemesports rating for this season five Argentina players are selected.
    1.Emi Martinez (7.01 highest in the goal keeper position in Europe)
    2.Christian Romero ( 7.24 second best rating as center back)
    3.Rodrigo De Paul ( 7.46 highest rating in the midfield)
    4. Angel Di Maria ( 7.36 Ranked fourth in left wing position)
    5. Lionel Messi (8.59 highest ofplayers in terms of ranking score and highest in the attacking midfield position)

    https://www.givemesport.com/1666326-ronaldo-messi-zlatan-the-five-best-players-in-europe-this-season-for-every-position

  2. Olympic squad

    Mateo Klimowzich A Gaich J Alvarez

    Nico gonzales F vera E palacios

    Lisandro Medina N perez Foyth

    Juan musso

  3. FIFA will soon legalize 16+ year old players to be transferred to Europe. Current age limit is 18+.

    This is problematic in several ways… It will financially ruin South American teams that depend on European transfers. Many young promising players will refuse to sign professional contracts with their SA club after their youth contract runs out, and sign professional contracts with European teams free of charge or minimal compensation.

    This will further lower the level of the Argentine league… A lot of the talent coming from Argentina will be swooped up by European teams before they have even made a name for themselves, before even playing professionally or as adults… For free…
    Less money for clubs from youth development in an already depreciating economy = worse and less youth development
    Worsening youth development = worse league

    Argentina becomes a banana republic for exporting talented football children to Europe… FOR FREE. WTF!!!

    It’s also bad for the local youth players in Europe who will get less chances to prove themselves…

    FIFA doesn’t give a fuck about the sport, only $$$

    • AFA and Argentine goverment are aware for those things. exist things we can do about that.
      it is not yet the time or anything is over. Exist restricrions and if necesary things will be more strict. we will fight it as South america united anyway because this is not only problem of Argentina. exist “weapons” we can use. Fifa elections example or for underage children laws etc etc it is very sensitive matter the children and FIFA can t do whatever likes.
      just as i said this is not the time yet and all the South american goverments and their federations are aware for the situation.

    • This makes my BLOOD BOIL.

      What an absolute nightmare for domestic leagues and youth development, and ultimately this drives how NT performs. Brazil and Argentina and the rest of SA countries should all band together and impose laws prohibiting transfers prior to 18. The only way this will work if SA unites…

      As much as Sepp Blatter was hated for his corruption, at least that guy cared about international futbol.

  4. actually I will choose the following if available
    Martinez
    ## Foyth # Romero # Perez
    benjamin garre #fausto Vera #joaquin perayra #buendia #barco
    kilimovich # gaich

    • Martinez , Foyth, Romero will anyway make it to Copa .
      Benjamin Garre & Joaquin Perayra not doing anything worthwhile other than occasional sub roles . They will need to step up at club level first.
      Klimovich – i dont see that as a big loss. We do have alternate options like Julian Alvarez, Ponce, Nahuel Bustos & now Girotti who are comparable levels.
      Barco hopefully will find form back with Heinze.

  5. nowadays ,football players need a strong body,should be fast and skillful. look at our players the line up 5 out of 11 players are below 170cm . Actually it doesn’t work . forget about ascacibar ,urzi,vargas we need ocampos ,Joaquin Correa, Nicolas Gonzalez that type of speedy ,tall ,skillful players.

    • Again i think this team was more of a compromise bcos of AFA inability. For sure its not Batista’s first choice. Nico G & Ocampos will surely make it to Copa. J Correa may miss out & can then be a great option for Olympics team as an overage player

      • J. Correa is better than Ocampus.Inspite being played as substitute he has given Argentina crucial 3 point in WC qualifier vs Bolivia in 15000 feet height.

        • finally Scaloni will pick 6 attackers . I feel he will prefer Ocampos over J Correa bcos Ocampos offers width as a true winger & he can flank both sides. J Correa’s value is more as a 2nd striker & i think Scaloni has that side already covered with Messi , Papu. Considering NicoG’s injury record – i think Ocampos will be preferred over J Correa for width option in final third. Either way it will be good that players who narrowly miss Copa spots are prioritized for Olympics squad where 3 overage players can be selected.

          • For width already have Acuna and N. Gonzalez. Ocampus has high work rate and better finisher but J. Correa is good in tight space,creating chances and good in possession of the ball.

  6. If wishes were horses , would love to see the 18man squad for Olympics like this :
    Ledesma
    N Molina – N Perez – F Medina – F Angileri
    Matias Zaracho-Fausto Vera
    Emi Buendia – Alexis Macclister – Carlos Valenzuela
    Gaich
    Subs ;
    Lautaro Morales ; L Balerdi , K Macclister; Nicolas Capaldo, Juan Brunetta ; E Ponce ,Julian Alvarez

    Reserves ( in case of injury or clubs not releasing) – Alex Vigo, Lisandro Martinez , M Senesi , Francisco Ortega, Enzo Fernandez , E Barco, Nahuel Bustos, De la vega, Galappo

    I think Batista stands a great chance .How AFA coaxes clubs to release players & how Batista chooses the allowed 3 overage players ( Ledesma , Buendia & Angileri in my list ) will determine how far we go. For sure we need our full backs to contribute in attack & hence proposing Angileri & Molina. I dont expect Buendia & Medina to make Copa team & hence adding them in my list.

    • When are the olympics starting? I have been completely out of the loop since Covid. If it does not conflict with Copa or anything else I would try my best to call up Lisandro

  7. I watched the game it was very boring ugly match. Ascacibar was absolutely sh..t in my opinion he isn’t nt material player he was rushy clumsy. midfielder was non existence at all. Urzi was another useless guy so frustrating.
    Perez is class and leader he has huge potential his physical structure made to be a fantastic defender.

    • I feel bad for Ascasibar because he used to be promising at Stuttgart and now at Hertha he has had injury problems and has not been able to cement himself. I have hopes for him in the future if he is able to overcome these problems

  8. I am not trying to defend Batista and the team but I think the team that played against Japan is a downgrade version of the team that finished 1st the preolympic. No bravo, Medina, Capaldo, Zaracho, Alvarez, Macalister, Fausto Vera(my favorite player of the team). When you assemble a team in less than a week there is not much you can do. It’s very unfortunate that once again we find ourselves in that situation but that’s our reality.

  9. Klimowicz can still play for Argentina. It is only the U21s. He’s left a door open and it is rumored that Batista will call him up to Tokyo.

  13. According to British media Nico Gonzalez is linked to Spurs (as Bale has already claimed he wants to return to Madrid in the summer)
    https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/nicolas-gonzalez-27m-tottenham-transfer-20250379
    https://www.givemesport.com/1665321-spurs-eyeing-stuttgart-forward-nicolas-gonzalez-giovani-lo-celsos-partner-in-crime
    https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/12255607/gareth-bale-set-for-real-madrid-return-tottenham-track-stuttgart-forward-nicholas-gonzalez-as-replacement
    Bale plays more on the Right and Nico plays more on the left, but he is versatile for a front line so I am sure it would work. Would be amazing to see. Even if it is not Tottenham I am sure he will get a big move this summer.

  14. I had watched the whole match
    players rating .

    keeper 7 decent performance
    Perez 7 talent
    Colombo 6 decent but lack of speed ,some mistakes
    de La fuent 4 clumsy ,many mistakes ,lack of speed ,even slower than Japanese
    Milton Venezuela 5 poor performance
    ascacibar 4 didn’t join attack nor defense ,very poor performance
    colombatto 6 the best midfielder
    urzi 0 very slim and short ,slow useless
    Vargas 2 nothing special only one assist that’s all
    gaich 7 talent
    Venezuela 5 didn’t show too much

    • Carlos Valenzuela did play well. The goal came from his long pass to Vargas . He also hit the cross bar twice. I think he did well & should make the Olympics squad.

  15. I think batista didn’t get what he wants .especially the clubs didn’t allow players to join .but this team is really poor ,only 20% ball possession, numerous mistakes no cooperation . the most frustrated thing is their technique and speed are very poor compared with Japan. I must say forget about ascacibar ,urzi ,vargas .they are not national team material . if they can be then every one of Japanese team can be argentina national team material.

    • I haven’t watched the match but did you honestly expect the Olympic B squad that hasn’t played together for more than a few days to look good? Honestly.

      This team is missing De la Vega, Allister, Alvarez, Vera, Capaldo and Madina, it’s an official B-squad and I am honestly surprised that they won the game.

      When it comes to the olympics I hope the argentine clubs will be more cooperative because if the olympic team does well, these players’ stock will rise and clubs can sell ’em for more than the pennies that they’ve selling them for recently.

      • Another thing that has not been mentioned is the time change going to Japan, I have travelled half the distance before and long plane flights plus getting used to a schedule in a new country is horrible, especially considering they have only had a couple of days

      • I don’t mind how poor they are since they are team D or E .but I must say forget about most of them ,they are not national team material .most of them are slow ,weak ,short and technically poor . if you watch the replay you will know

  16. did anyone watch the match ? I had watched the whole match. I would say this team is really poor . only gaich and Perez are national team material . I recommend all of you watch the replay .

  17. I was not able to watch the game, is there any link that shows who came off the bench and who was on it? I am a bit confused because I remember Balerdi and Lisandro were originally called up, I also would have expected Brunetta, Zaracho, and Ponce to play. Were these players not allowed to leave at last minute? And talking about the depth and strength of our team, Amit, you are right that Batista did well with the resources he was given against a strong Japan. We did not see any of these players called up: Belmonte, Vera, Sosa, Capaldo, Enzo Fernandez, Mac Allister, Payero, Klimowicz, De La Vega, N Bustos, Alvarez or Valenti (maybe F Medina, Senesi, N Gonzalez, Molina would have been possibilities given that there is no senior game for Argentina). Some of these players I blame AFA for and some like Mac Allister were impossible. Even just three of these players in weaker positions would have significantly strengthened us, so even if we did not have much possession or whatever, we should remind ourselves that we played at 50% versus a 100% and won.

      • Yes, I am saying that we failed to get him before Germany did. The good thing is that I think that with youth teams players are not tied to their countries, in the future we can call him up.

    • Yes Olive. The subs who came in were Lucas Gonzalvez , Santiago Hezze , Rollhiser & Bernabei. Except Bernanebi – rest were like U20 kids . It shows the extent to which Batista was given a B or even worse C team. Balerdi, Licha , Zaracho , Ponce didnt make the final squad due to club freeze. Only Brunetta was a worthwhile name in subs & he was surprisingly not called up. I was reading a Japanese football news article & Japan managed to get almost all their top U23 players in this game. So we actually bet a strong contender with a second string squad & thats a good confidence booster. Japan U23 had defeated Brazil u23 in 2019.

    • Ascacibar got an unnecessary yellow in first half. Defensively he was always there. But i think he & colambatto was like the earlier biglia+ masche pivot. There was no attack contribution. Also if you keep in mind the full backs didnt attack & so attack didnt get the required supply. I think the 2 CMs should be from enzo fernandez, belmonte, payero, galappo, capaldo.

  19. Batista has done well for the resources he was given. He virtually had U20 players as subs. Beating a full strength Japan who is a good U23 team is not a bad result at all. Just like he has finally selected an overage keeper like Ledesma , hope he uses the other 2 overage slots well in Olympics – maybe Buendia & a back up to Gaich ( maybe Icardi !! ) .

  22. Nice goal!!! I really want Gaich to be successful. I like his towering presence. Sometimes you need someone tall, big and strong to jump above everyone else and head home. No tactics, no intricate passing just and old school English goal..lol!

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