Finding the new Messi in Peru

While the Keys and Gray storm rumbles on in England one of the hidden gems of the football calender – the 2011 South American Youth Championships (Sudamericano Sub-20) – is quietly going on in Peru. Argentinian football connoisseur Dan Colasimone returns to Just Football to assess the junior Albicelestes.

If one looked only at results, it may appear that Argentina cruised through Group A in the Sudamericano Sub-20 Championship in Peru. Yet in reality the junior Abicelestes never looked particularly comfortable despite dispatching Uruguay, Peru and Chile and drawing with Venezuela. In local parlance, the team has been dulce; literally ‘sweet,’ which in Argentinian football speak means a team that is somewhat blessed and continues to win matches no matter how poorly it plays.

Coach Walter Perazzo chopped and changed the starting lineup after each match and his charges are yet to show the kind of understanding with one another that comes from familiarity. There have been some good individual performances, but in a fine imitation of their senior counterparts under Diego Maradona, the team remains disjointed and a typically Argentinian defence has looked clueless at times.

In its opening match against Uruguay, Argentina went behind early but were able to pull a goal back through Californian Michael Hoyos, an attacking midfielder who could have chosen to play for the United States if he wanted. Uruguay then had the better of a scrappy game, before another player who could have chosen a different national team, Juan Iturbe, dubbed ‘the Paraguayan Messi’ won it for Argentina at the death with a tap-in.

Against Peru, the Abicelestes looked even more listless. River starlet, Gabriel Funes Mori put Argentina ahead early against the tournament hosts with a powerful header from a Hoyos free kick. Perazzo had started with an ultra attacking lineup and the midfield looked unable to cope with the fast, dynamic Peruvian attacking threat. Peru eventually drew level from a corner 20 minutes into the second half but from that point on, Argentina finally began to dominate. Bruno Zuculini was brought on at half time to shore up the midfield and it was he who cracked home a winner with just a few minutes remaining. Argentina had six points from two games and were looking sweet.

Perazzo shuffled the starting eleven again for the match against Venezuela but the team still failed to gel. However, Boca Junior’s next great hope, Sergio Araujo did put Argentina ahead ten minutes into the second half before Venezuela deservedly equalised soon after after a blunder by Lanus goalkeeper Esteban Andrada. The draw was enough for Argentina to qualify for the next and final group stage with a match to spare. Sacrine.

Having ‘earned’ the right to experiment with the lineup for the final group match, Perazzo gave a rest to a few of the players who had played in all the previous matches. Funes Mori, Hoyos and Araujo were left out against Chile and captain German Pezzella was suspended yet the team probably put in its best perfomance so far. A 3-1 win was sealed with a double from Banfield’s Facundo ‘Chucky’ Ferreyra and another from Arsenal de Sarandi’s Claudio Mosca.

Three wins and a draw means Argentina finishes top of the group and won’t have to play Brazil until the third game of the final hexagonal group stage. Local media seem to think that is a good thing, although it’s unclear why. Fortunately, a victory against Brazil is not essential as long as other results go Argentina’s way. Four of the teams in the final group stage will qualify for the 2011 Under-20 World Cup in Colombia and the top two will win a place at the 2012 London Olympics.

Perazzo’s goal will no doubt be to finish in the top two, so an improved performance will be required. The solid showing in the final match offers hope, as does the fact that several Argentinian players have been in fine form.

Hoyos has probably been the brightest star so far, directing play as the team’s enganche, or ‘number 10’.  Hoyos was born in the US, but moved to Argentina, his parents’ homeland, when he was 15 and took up an offer to join Estudiantes’ junior teams.  He is an intelligent reader of the game, takes dangerous free kicks and is blessed with a powerful shot.

Gabriel Funes Mori has also impressed, despite ending the Apertura season on the fringes of River Plate’s first team. His size and experience make him an valuable focal point for the Abiclestes and his confidence seems to be up.

Others have been less consistent but those who have glimmered intermittently have been Araujo, Iturbe and Mosca, as well as the fullback Hugo Nervo, who has looked good going forward. Bruno Zuculini has been dominant in midfield when he has played, although for some reason Perazzo has not always used him from the start.

Some shaky performances so far won’t be too much of a concern to Walter Perazzo and his coaching team as the second group phase gives them a chance to start afresh. Those around the team will be feeling satisfied at finishing atop their group but will no doubt realise there is still much room for improvement. A positive feeling about the squad prevails, although lingering over everyone’s thoughts is the fact that Argentina failed to finish in the top four at the same stage two years ago.

A good start to the final group phase will be crucial but the true litmus test will come against the team wearing yellow in the third match. No matter how dulce a team is, a match up against Brazil is likely to leave a bitter taste unless the team is playing at the peak of its powers.

Read more Argentinian football insights from Dan Colasimone over at Argentina Football World.

(photo by xeneize on Flickr)

Argentina, Argentinian Football, Football in Latin America, Michael Hoyos, Sudamericano Sub-20, Youth Football