July 30, (THEWILL) – Argentina advanced to the Olympic football tournament quarter-finals for the first time since 2008, defeating Ukraine 2-0 at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium.
The victory ended Argentina’s streak of two consecutive group stage exits and set up a potential clash with host nation France in the knockout rounds.
The match began with Argentina dominating possession but struggling to create clear-cut chances. Manchester City striker, Julian Alvarez, posed the main threat, narrowly missing with a curling effort from outside the box. The first half ended goalless, with both teams registering their first shots on target in the closing minutes.
Argentina broke the deadlock just two minutes into the second half when Thiago Almada scored with a powerful long-range strike. The goal deflated Ukraine, who failed to mount a significant comeback despite making several substitutions. Claudio Echeverri sealed Argentina’s victory in stoppage time, scoring on the rebound to make it 2-0.
Despite Argentina’s win, Morocco claimed the top spot in Group B with a 3-0 victory over Iraq. All four teams had been level on three points before the final round of matches, but Morocco’s convincing win saw them finish ahead of Argentina on goal difference.
The result marks a significant improvement for Argentina’s Olympic football team, who will now look to build on this success in the knockout stages. For Ukraine, the defeat brings an end to their Olympic campaign, having failed to replicate their strong performances from earlier in the tournament.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
