Argentina beat Peru 1-0 with a goal from its captain, Infantino, and Javier Mascherano referred to the criticism he received for the team’s play in the South American Cup in Colombia: “It is clear that we are not happy with how the tournament has been going We are in a place where you have to give support and peace of mind to the boys. Beyond the fact that some have big names, they are still 18 and 19-year-old boys. We are there for that, to help them.”
The coach of the Argentina Under 20 National Team analyzed: “There is a lot of misinformation about our category. We have worked for a year. We have had good tournaments and others not so good. Perhaps everyone was left with the Toulon tournament. We went to compete with two and three years less. This misinformation often makes one think that the team had not competed at that time. We had good tournaments like L’Alcudia, Maldonado, where we had to compete well and, luckily, win. Above all, the peace of mind that one is consistent with what one has worked on all year”.
Mascherano took responsibility: “Above all, the only one responsible for everything is me. I am the head, the one who chooses them and the one who proposes to play in this way. Perhaps wrongly. But it’s the way I feel. I want to do it that way and I try to convey it to him. Perhaps many people may agree or not. In this place, until the last day that I am, I will try to do it. It is my responsibility as a coach to choose the way I want.”
And he concluded: “The youth team has nothing to do with the Major. We are here to try to help them and give them tools. It is impossible to isolate oneself from the context, from everything that Argentina has experienced. We have guys who have a certain name and there is an expectation on them. It’s always hard to carry that pressure on your shoulders.”
This Friday, Argentina will play against local Colombia and must beat them to qualify for the final hexagonal of the tournament, which gives four places to the World Cup of the category to be held this year.
