The Argentina National Team The U23 team suffered a painful defeat against France in the quarter-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, being eliminated from the tournament. The match ended with a score of 1-0 in favour of the French team, thanks to an early goal by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
From the start of the match, France showed an aggressive attitude and dominated the game on the Argentina National Team. Just 5 minutes into the game, Mateta took advantage of a precise cross to head the ball into the back of the net, leaving Argentine goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli with no options.
This early goal conditioned the development of the match, forcing Argentina to seek the equalizer from the first moment. Despite the goal against, the team led by Javier Mascherano did not give up and constantly sought to equalize.
During the first half, Argentina had several clear chances to score, but a lack of precision and a solid French defence prevented the score from changing. Giuliano Simeone, son of renowned coach Diego Simeone, had one of the clearest chances, but his shot went wide.
In the second half, Argentina came out with a more offensive attitude, pressing high and controlling the ball. Equi Fernández and Thiago Almada were the most outstanding players in midfield, creating play and opportunities for the forwards.
However, the French defence, led by the experienced Alexandre Lacazette, held firm and prevented any attempts on goal. The most controversial moment of the match came when Michael Olise scored France’s second goal, but it was ruled out by VAR due to a prior foul.
Final
This decision generated controversy and tension on the pitch, but the score remained 1-0 in favour of the French. As time went on, desperation took hold of the Argentine team, which was not sharp in the final stitch.
Mascherano made several tactical changes, including bringing on fresh players such as Julián Álvarez and Kevin Zenón, in an attempt to turn the result around. However, the French defence and goalkeeper Guillaume Restes were impenetrable. The final whistle sparked euphoria in the French team and disappointment in the players. Argentines.
