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| German National Team footballer Max Moerstedt (left) celebrates scoring a goal against Argentina U-17 (Pics: ANTARA FOTO/Akbar Nugroho Gumay). |
Sport.qlee. Stadion Manahan, Solo November 28, 2023 - The U-17 German National Team successfully secured a place in the final of the 2023 U-17 World Cup after defeating the U-17 Argentine National Team in a penalty shootout following a 3-3 draw during the regulation 90 minutes.
The intense semi-final match unfolded at Stadion Manahan in Solo on Tuesday (28/11/2023) afternoon WIB, where Argentina applied early pressure on Germany right from the start. Valentino Acuna posed a threat to the German goal with a powerful shot that was blocked by the German defensive line.
Nevertheless, Germany managed to take the lead in the eighth minute. From a counter-attack on the left side, Noah Darvich provided a pass to Paris Brunner, who penetrated the penalty box. Evading an Argentine defender, Brunner unleashed a shot into the near post, eluding Jeremias Florentin before finding the back of the net.
This goal shook Argentina, prompting them to press hard against Germany through the combination of Claudio Echeverri, Agustino Ruberto, and Valentino Acuna in the front line. Meanwhile, Germany initiated several counter-attacks that nearly breached Argentina's defense.
Argentina leveled the score in the 35th minute through Agustino Ruberto, who finished a pass from Dylan Gorosito with a powerful shot from the center of the penalty area, which Konstantin Heide could not deflect.
Heide narrowly avoided conceding again if not for deflecting Echeverri's shot in the 37th minute from close range.
In the dying moments of injury time in the first half, Argentina turned the tables to lead with Ruberto's second goal, securing his position as the tournament's top scorer. A swift attack from the left side concluded with Acuna's pass to Ruberto in the penalty box. Ruberto deceived the German players before shooting into the top right corner.
After trailing 2-1 in the first half, Argentina sought to increase the intensity of their attacks to secure additional goals.
Germany managed to level the score in the 57th minute with Brunner's second goal. Brunner found himself in a free position inside the penalty box after a counter-attack, concluding with a powerful shot past Florentin.
Surprisingly, Germany turned the tables to lead 3-2 through Max Moerstedt's goal in the 69th minute. Moerstedt headed the ball from a free-kick, and Florentin could not intervene.
Entering the final 10 minutes of the match, both teams played aggressively, exchanging attacks. Both teams had opportunities, but they were thwarted.
Argentina intensified their attacks in injury time, threatening Heide's goal several times. Echeverri had a chance from close range, but Heide managed to deflect the shot.
Ruberto! The Argentine forward completed his hat-trick in the 97th minute, equalizing the score at 3-3. Positioned freely after receiving Echeverri's breakthrough pass, Ruberto slotted the ball with his left foot into the top corner of Heide's goal.
The semi-final match had to be concluded with a penalty shootout. Before that, Argentina replaced Florentin with Franco Villalba as the goalkeeper for the tie-breaker.
In the first round, Germany scored through Eric da Silva Moreira, while Argentina's Franco Mastantuono failed to convert after being blocked by Heide. In the next two opportunities, Germany succeeded once and failed once. Meanwhile, Echeverri failed in his duty, and Argentina scored their first goal through Juan Gimenez.
Finally, Germany advanced to the final after Paris Brunner scored the fourth penalty to the left corner, unstoppable for Villalba, securing a 4-2 victory. They now await the winner of the second semi-final between France and Mali.
The thrilling encounter between Germany and Argentina showcased the resilience and skill of these young football talents. The U-17 World Cup continues to be a platform for emerging talents to shine on the global stage. As the anticipation builds for the final, football enthusiasts eagerly await to see who will emerge as the U-17 World Cup champions in 2023.