The Argentina U23 team, coached by Fernando Batista, defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 this Friday, in Marbella. This was Argentina’s last friendly match before the Olympics. Pedro de la Vega and Adolfo Gaich scored the goals for the Albiceleste.
Even though Argentina had its chances during the first half, they didn’t open the score until minute 14 of the second half. There, Lanus winger Pedro “el Pepo” de la Vega kicked scored off a good cross from Atlanta United’s attacking-midfielder Ezequiel Barco.
¡Gol de Argentina!🇦🇷🙌🏼Pedro De La Vega pone el 1-0 ante Arabia Saudita. Mirá el amistoso de la Sub 23 previo a los Juegos Olímpicos EN VIVO por la pantalla de @TyCSports y https://t.co/6eSENGb6G0 acá https://t.co/8warZiz4Lf📺🖥️📲 pic.twitter.com/4i00XE0e8p
— TyC Sports Play (@TyCSportsPlay) June 11, 2021
Ten minutes later, Saudi Arabia would be left with 10 players as Nasser Salaman Alomran was sent off by the referee, after receiving his second yellow card.
With numerical superiority, the youth Argentina team started finding more spaces, and at minute 32 of the second half, the CSKA Moscow striker Adolfo Gaich sent the ball into the net, after a deflected shot from Velez’s right-back Hernán de La Fuente.
¡Gol de Argentina!🇦🇷🙌🏼Adolfo Gaich marca el 2-0 ante Arabia Saudita. Mirá el amistoso de la Sub 23 previo a los Juegos Olímpicos EN VIVO por la pantalla de @TyCSports y https://t.co/6eSENGb6G0 acá https://t.co/8warZiz4Lf📺🖥️📲 pic.twitter.com/RP3N9u6try
— TyC Sports Play (@TyCSportsPlay) June 11, 2021
This was Fernando Batista’s chosen lineup:
Lautaro Morales; Hernán De La Fuente, Nehuén Pérez, Leonel Mosevich, Francisco Ortega; Santiago Colombatto, Fausto Vera, Pedro de la Vega; Matías Vargas, Ezequiel Barco, and Adolfo Gaich.
With this victory, Argentina finishes its preparation matches for the Tokyo Olympics, where the football tournament starts on July 21. Argentina will have its debut on July 22 vs. Australia