Photo: Collected
In a historic defeat, Brazil were thrashed 6-0 by Argentina in the South American Under-20 Championship last night. Despite the heavy loss, Brazilian supporters could breathe a sigh of relief, as they managed to avoid a repeat of the 7-1 disaster against Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-final. Had Argentina been the team to score seven, the situation would have been far worse for Brazil.
This defeat marks Brazil's heaviest loss in the competition's 71-year history. Prior to this, Brazil had never lost by more than three goals in this tournament. The last time a team lost by such a large margin was in 2013 when Colombia defeated Bolivia 6-0.
For Argentina, this win is a monumental achievement. It marks their biggest ever victory against Brazil at any level, surpassing their previous record of 6-1 from the 1940 Roca Cup. This win comes 85 years after that famous victory, and it's a new high for Argentine football.
Brazilian media have labelled the loss a "debacle" and a "disgrace", while memes mocking Brazil's defeat have flooded social media. One popular meme shows a cat sitting next to the logo of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), staring at it, symbolising Brazil's humiliation.
This game was the first match for Argentina's new U-20 coach, Diego Plasente, who took over from Javier Mascherano after he became the coach of Inter Miami. Plasente set up his team with key players from last year's U-17 World Cup, and the results were evident early on. Argentina scored three goals within the first 11 minutes. The first goal came from River Plate's star, Iar Subiabre, assisted by Valentino Acuña.
The second goal, in the 8th minute, came from 19-year-old forward Echeverri, currently on loan from Manchester City to River Plate. His goal was also set up by Acuña. Three minutes later, Brazil's right-back Igor Serato scored an own goal, making it 3-0. After the break, Argentina added three more goals in quick succession in the 52nd, 54th, and 78th minutes, completing their remarkable 6-0 victory.
After the match, Argentina's forward Echeverri expressed his joy, saying, "We played fantastically. We were well-prepared. Playing against Brazil always gives us extra motivation. We won't stop here; we'll continue to improve."
The South American Under-20 Championship also serves as a qualification event for the 2023 Under-20 World Cup, which will be held in Chile in September. The top four teams from this competition will secure their spots in the World Cup. A total of 10 teams are competing in the South American Championship, divided into two groups (A and B). The top three teams from each group will advance to the final round-robin stage, where the top four will qualify for the World Cup.
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