Saturday April 1, 2023 | 9:00 a.m.
Argentina began its journey in the South American Sub 17 tournament with a brilliant 4-2 victory over Venezuela at the George Capwell Stadium in Guayaquil, Ecuador, in a match corresponding to Group B. The excluding figure? Claudio Echeverri, the attacker trained in the River Plate youth academy.
Echeverri came to this premiere with all the weight, perhaps even excessive for a 17-year-old player. His good level in the different River Plate training categories has put him in the eye of fans and the media for a long time. And he did not seem to mind his first big test with the Argentine team in which he wore the number 10 shirt and the captain’s ribbon.
Although at 3 minutes into the game he almost scored from a free kick, at 13 he showed a quota of all his quality with a brilliant shot from outside the area after a huge play by the winger Ulises Giménez, his teammate in the lower ranks of the Millionaire.
Seven minutes later he was again a fundamental factor: Agustín Ruberto started the counter, played with Echeverri who dribbled the goalkeeper and gave way to the middle so that Santiago López –Independiente footballer– made it 2-0.
Things suddenly got complicated for Diego Placente’s men in the first half, although they had a clear chance at López’s feet to score the third. The referee called a controversial penalty by Juan Giménez on Lucciano Reinoso that David Martínez changed for a goal after 28 minutes. And at 35 Martínez assisted with a precise pass to Junior Colina, who beat Froilán Díaz with a bomb from above.
It seemed that the Albiceleste were going to the locker room with an unfair 2-2, but once again it was Echeverri who unbalanced with a magnificent play at the door of the area and the quick qualification for the River Ruberto striker to define a crossover with great quality.
In the supplement, the captain once again gave his contribution to further stretch the difference. Echeverri pounced, took advantage of a bad closure from a Venezuelan defender and played for the penalty point: Ruberto stretched his leg to add the second of his personal score.
Those commanded by Placente had a replacement with the income of Valentino Acuña, Kevin Gutiérrez, Tobías Palacio, Alejo Sarco and Mariano Gerez for Gustavo Albarracín, Ian Subiabre, Camilo Rey Domenech, Echeverri and Ruberto.
Argentina begins the defense of the title in this tournament with a high level that allows one to dream. The next match will be against Bolivia on Sunday, April 2 and then they will face Peru on Thursday, April 6. The closing of the group stage will be next Saturday, April 8 against Paraguay (all games from 9:00 p.m.).
It should be noted that the Argentina zone opened with a 2-1 victory for Bolivia against Peru. While on the other side Colombia drew 0-0 against Uruguay and Ecuador drew 2-2 with Brazil. The first three of each group will advance to the Final Phase, where they will play a round all against all and the best four will seal their ticket to the long-awaited World Cup.
Four years ago, in the 2019 edition, those led at that time by Pablo Aimar left Brazil out of the final hexagonal on the last date of the group stage and kept the championship after finishing in first place in the final zone with 10 points. Four years later, since the 2021 edition was not played due to the coronavirus pandemic, Placente will seek to retain the crown.
FORMATIONS:
Argentina: Froilan Diaz; Ulises Gimenez, Juan Gimenez, Juan Villalba, Axel Cabellos; Camilo Rey Domenech, Gustavo Albarracin, Claudio Echeverri; Santiago López, Ian Subiabre and Agustín Ruberto. DT: Diego Placente.
Venezuela: Jesus Lara; Ángel Borgo, Juberth Bermúdez, Rai Hidalgo; Miguel Vegas, Santiago José Silva, Giovanny Sequera; Junior Colina, Lucciano Reinoso, David Emmanuel Martinez and Juan Arango Tortolero. DT: Ricardo Alfredo Valino.
Stadium: George Capwell (Guayaquil)
Calendar of the Argentine team in the South American Sub 17:
Date 1 (Friday, March 31)
Argentina vs Venezuela, at the George Capwell Stadium (Guayaquil)
Date 2 (Sunday April 2)
Bolivia vs Argentina, at the George Capwell Stadium (Guayaquil)
Date 4 (Thursday, April 6)
Peru vs Argentina, at the Christian Benítez Stadium (Guayaquil)
Date 5 (Saturday April 8)
Argentina vs. Paraguay, at the George Capwell Stadium (Guayaquil)
The Argentine squad for the South American in Ecuador:
The chosen players are: Lorenzo Luchino (Sevilla), Froilán Díaz (Unión de Santa Fe), Enrique Maza (Atlético Tucumán), Dylan Gorosito (Boca Juniors), Ulises Giménez (River Plate), Juan Giménez (Rosario Central), Tobias Palacio (Argentinos Juniors), Gonzalo Escudero (Racing Club), Juan Villalba (Vélez Sarsfield), Axel Cabellos (Racing Club), Octavio Ontivero (Lanús), Camilo Rey Domenech (Boca Juniors), Gustavo Albarracín (Talleres de Córdoba), Mariano Gerez (Lanús), Valentino Acuña (Newell’s Old Boys), Kevin Gutierrez (Rosario Central), Claudio Echeverri (River Plate), Maximiliano Porcel (Vélez Sarsfield), Agustín Ruberto (River Plate), Alejo Sarco (Vélez Sarsfield), Ian Subiabre ( River Plate), Santiago López (Independent) and Benjamín Acosta (Lanús).
