The dream of football advances, although without bells, after a start to step in the Olympic tournament. Good thing, because the history of the national team in the Games is usually all or nothing. Few aroused as much expectation as London 2012 and he went home without waking up. The one directed by
Luis de la Fuente
also comes from the best, from a European Under 21 title and from playing his hard core a good Euro Cup. The question is how much fuel you have left. The certainty is to dominate Argentina. Although she is an albiceleste diminished by many circumstances, she has the pride and the pasture to take anyone to the limit. Did.
Spain was better with the ball, its owner, and found a way to get it to the net in its own way, but it lacked a punch to avoid an outcome in which the classification was at stake, due to Egypt's victory by more than one goal over Australia .
Mikel Merino
, a midfielder, was the apex of the final combination in someone else's area, but in his own area the selection did not contain the rise of Argentina.
Belmonte
unleashed fear when De la Fuente was already making refreshment changes.
THE SURPRISES OF AFRICA
The victory opens the most affordable way for them, being first in the group and avoiding Brazil at the crossroads. They will face Ivory Coast on Saturday (10:00 Spanish time). A rival of less hierarchy although also unknown. African Olympic teams are full of surprises. One, Cameroon, prevented
Xavi Hernández
and
Puyol's
generation from
being gold at Sydney 2000.
The core of the Euro is the hard core of the national team.
That is why they have come, De la Fuente must think.
The search for alternatives does not go with them.
The six were in the eleven, as in the previous matches, an eleven to which
Asensio
and Mikel Merino
returned
, sacrificed after the draw against Egypt.
Mingueza
did not do it
, despite being already available, to avoid risks.
The sanction to
Óscar Gil
should give him the place in the quarters.
The result was the same as then, possession and dominance, but this time with more ball speed than in the debut and more depth, something that had to do with a footballer who was not there then,
Cucurella
.
THE ABANDONED ARGENTINA
'Cucu' pressed on the left and Argentina felt it. The albiceleste raised the threshold of hardness, scratched, because it was the only way to stop running after the ball.
Neuel Pérez
was loaded with a fast yellow, a handicap for the central defender and captain of a team that started these Games from the antipodes of the Spanish. Argentina, the absolute, won the Copa América, but no player of the age who played it is in Tokyo. Neither were those selectable from clubs like River, Boca or Racing, because when their concentration began they still had things at stake. No veteran, like
Gignac
in France or
Alves
in Brazil. Only
Ledesma
, the goalkeeper, over 23. From there, what he has done
Fernando Batista
, with footballers from here and there, has merit.
Let it be recognized upon your return.
The Argentine coach knew of the Spanish superiority and did not contest possession.
He handed over the ball, anathema in his country, to play from the bottom, through the counter, the set pieces and interruptions.
Not only did he come to rest alive, but he had the first clear chances of the crash, such as an arrival from the right by
Ezequiel Barco
, who found
Unai Simón
in his place.
Despite Spain getting ahead, Batista moved his men well, took control and had his chance, a few minutes after
Belmonte's
goal
.
A dominating Spain, supported by
Pedri
but revolutionized if 'Cucu',
Olmo
and, especially,
Oyarzabal were found
, received some warning. The man with the goal against Australia provided a shot, although without luck, but above all mobility, which greatly complicated the task of the centrals Pérez and
Medina
. He lacked sharpness in the last steps, but his work was enormous to destabilize the defense, and all the Spaniards who stepped on the Argentine area benefited from that, many. To start with, his teammate in Real and goalscorer in Saitama, Mikel Merino.
Zubimendi
tested Ledesma in the first half and Olmo stroked the goal as soon as the second started, without Argentina being able to reply.
Batista gave relays while adding cards.
The goal of Spain was a matter of minutes or bad luck against him, if he did not arrive.
He did it very in his own way, with a band-to-band combination, Olmo's drop, smooth, and completion of a midfielder in the cave, Mikel Merino.
The intention of the albiceleste to make a long, long game and look for his chance, did not vanish with the disadvantage.
The step forward led to tremors in the Spanish area, a possible penalty from Mikel Merino, hand on the ground, and the goal hunted by Belmonte.
The remaining minutes did not wake Spain from sleep, but it needs something more to be round.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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