The Argentine Under 17 soccer team took advantage of a burst and ideally started the final hexagonal of the South American category, which takes place in Ecuador, by beating Chile 2-0 in Quito.
At the Liga Deportiva Universitaria stadium, one of the venues in which this decisive phase will be held, the team led by Diego Placente attacked at the end of the first half and made the difference that proved to be defining.
Santiago López and Claudio Echeverri converted the goals for the national team, which obtained its fourth victory in five appearances in the continental competition. The two teams ended up with ten players due to the expulsions received by Ulises Giménez, in the Argentine formation; and Iván Román, in the loser.
Argentina will assume the second match of the hexagonal this Friday against Venezuela. Placente’s team completed a very good first half in which they ended up prevailing, based on the superlative task of their most valued player: Echeverri from Chaco.
The River Plate youth, the same one who from Núñez set a termination clause of 50 million dollars, pulled the strings and made his teammates play, assisting them with stinging qualifications.
In addition, with the self-assurance that is already beginning to be seen, the youngster dribbled forward and showed a change of pace, in a team that exhibited different variants to reach the opponent’s fence.
When Argentina was already dominating development, the opening came, after a good combination Echeverri-Ruberto-López, which the kid from Independiente defined in the small area. And before the end of the first period, they increased the advantage with a wonderful finish from Echeverri, who left goalkeeper Valdés snubbed with a dribble and stretched the ball towards the net.
In the second period, the Argentine victory could have been compromised with the early expulsion of Ulises Giménez (due to a double warning), but Chile -apart from the changes- did not improve and hardly disturbed the Argentine goal. And on top of that, quickly, he was left with ten for the red card to Román.
Argentina took a successful first step and awaits what will come with optimism, in which the initial objective will be focused on getting one of the four places for the World Cup in the category.
Argentina presented Froilán Díaz; Ulises Gimenez, Juan Gimenez, Juan Manuel Villalba, Axel Cabellos; Kevin Gutierrez, Mariano Gerez, Ian Subiabre; Claudio Echeverri; Agustin Ruberto, Santiago Lopez.
