Home Blog Page 976

Argentina U23 draw 2-2 vs. South Korea, Alexis Mac Allister, Valenzuela score

Roy Nemer
-
48

While the Argentina national team won the Copa America, the U23 team is preparing for their first gold medal since the 2008 Olympics.

Argentina U23 coach Fernando Batista saw his team draw 2-2 vs. South Korea in a friendly match. Here was the starting XI for the match:

J. Ledesma
De La Fuente
Mosevich
Medina
Bravo
Vera
Colombatto
Valenzuela
Mac Allister
Barco
Gaich

It was Alexis Mac Allister who gave Argentina the 1-0 lead with a great strike. Adolfo Gaich recovered the ball in midfield as he assed it to Alexis and the Brighton man with a strike from distance opened the scoring. South Korea would draw level with a strike of their own from outside of the penalty area. Seol with hit from outside of the penalty area as he beat Ledesma.

Fernando Valenzuela re-gave Argentina the lead with another fantastic Argentina goal. He would receive the ball on the edge of the penalty area as he would cut inside and curl a shot into the top corner of the net.

While it looked like Batista’s team were on their way to a victory, Won-Sang Um with a goal from outside of the penalty area in injury time of the second half.

Lionel Messi on Copa America win: “Thank you God for making me Argentine”

-
73

After winning the Copa America with Argentina, Lionel Messi posted a touching video and some heartfelt lines via his Instagram account.

“In the Maracana and the classico against Brazil…”

That is how Messi started his post.

“It was an incredible cup. We know that we can still improve many things but the truth is that the boys left their souls, and I cannot be prouder to be the captain of this spectacular group.”

Then, Leo thanked his family, his friends, the Argentina fans, and Diego Maradona:

“I want to dedicate this triumph to my family, who always gave me the strength to keep going, to my friends, that I love so much, to all the people who support us, and especially to the 45 million Argentines who had such a bad time with this shit of a virus, especially those that suffered it more closely. It goes for all of you. And, of course, also for Diego, who surely supported us from wherever he is.”

After these lines, Messi sent a message of awareness to all the Argentines, so that they continue to take care of Covid-19, which in Argentina is still causing a lot of deaths:

“In order to continue celebrating, we have to continue taking care of ourselves. Let’s not forget that there is still a long way to go to return to normality. Let’s take advantage of this happiness to gain a little strength, so we can fight together and beat the virus.”

Messi finished his post with a sentence worthy of framing:

“Thank you, God, for everything you gave me, and thank you for making me Argentine! CHAMPIONS OF AMERICA!!!!!”

Atletico Madrid sign Argentina Copa America winner Rodrigo De Paul

Roy Nemer
-
56

Atletico Madrid have announced the signing of Argentina Copa America winner Rodrigo De Paul.

It has been long rumored but finally official, De Paul is an Atletico Madrid player. The recently crowned Copa America champion joins on a five year contract.

This would not be De Paul’s first stint in Spain. He joined Valencia back in 2014 from boyhood club Racing Club. He spent two years signed to Valencia but spent part of those two years on loan at Racing.

He later joined Udinese in 2016 where he would go on to become their captain. In the prime of his career, De Paul is 27 years of age and has become an integral part of the Argentina national team.

The Argentina Copa America goal of the tournament

Roy Nemer
-
90

While Lionel Messi was the Copa America top scorer with five goals, there were some gems which found the back of the net for Argentina.

It was Lionel Messi who scored the first Argentina goal of the tournament but it was one of the tournament hero’s Angel Di Maria who scored the last one. Lionel Scaloni’s team had six different goal scorers.

Messi scored his first of two free kicks at the tournament in the team’s opening match vs. Chile. Guido Rodriguez, who was in and out of the team throughout the Copa, scored a header in the 1-0 win vs. Uruguay.

Alejandro “Papu” Gomez managed his first of the tournament following a great pass by Di Maria in the win vs. Paraguay.

After that came the four goal fest vs. Bolivia. Gomez managed his second after great work by Angel Correa and the assist by Messi. Speaking of Messi, he got his second and third goals of the tournament in the win vs. Bolivia, a penalty and a chip goal with Aguero getting the assist. Lautaro Martinez broke his duck with a close range effort.

One of the players of the final Rodrigo De Paul managed his only goal of the Copa in a 3-0 win vs. Ecuador. An assist by Messi and a cool finish by De Paul gave Argentina their first goal of the match.

Lautaro Martinez added a second goal to his name at the Copa America, once more from close range as he placed the ball into the top corner of the net. Messi added the third, an incredible free kick from the edge of the penalty area.

Again it was Lautaro scoring, this time for the third straight match as Gio Lo Celso played a ball into Messi who assisted Lautaro with his first time finish.

That match also saw Emiliano Martinez become a national hero saving three penalty kicks vs. Colombia in the penalty shootout.

Angel Di Maria wrote his name in the history books as he not only scored at the Maracana but scored Argentina’s winning goal vs. Brazil at the Maracana in a Copa America final, a chip one at that.

Of the 12 goals which were scored by Argentina at the tournament, which one was your favorite?

Emiliano Martinez comments on Lionel Messi, Cristian Romero and Copa America final

Roy Nemer
-
268

Emiliano Martinez has emerged as the number one goalkeeper for Argentina. Despite making his national team debut last month, he has solidified his position. Following his penalty shootout heroics vs. Colombia, Dibu, as he is known, kept a clean sheet in the Copa America final.

In addition to winning the final, Martinez was also named as the goalkeeper of the tournament. But even after the final, Martinez made time for the media. Speaking to TyC Sports about what Lionel Messi told him after the Copa America final. Here is what he had to say:

“The captain who told me that today you gave me the Cup… When he wrote on (Messi put a picture on Instagram), he put a picture with me, that gave me strength. I have a daughter I haven’t hugged yet.”

Martinez was also very confident in himself:

“Today, whoever was going to kick, it wasn’t going to go in… I was very confident.”

“Cuti did the impossible to play. After the semi final, he told me he wouldn’t leave me alone. They injected him before the match, during the match… If I’m crazy, what is he?”

Dibu spoke about Cristian Romero and what he had to do to get to that Copa America final:

“The captain who told me that today you gave me the Cup… When he wrote on his Twitter, he put a picture with me, that gave me strength. I have a daughter I haven’t hugged yet.”

1...975976977...1,664Page 976 of 1,664