Argentina U23 vs Australia U23 Predictions

• Argentina’s U23 squad have three wins in five games in 2021, with one draw and one loss.
• Australia lost four games in a row before a 1-0 win over New Zealand in their final warm-up match.

Argentina in-form ahead of Australia clash

Two-time gold medal winners Argentina take on Australia in the opening round of games at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.

Argentina won back-to-back golds in 2004 and 2008, with a young Lionel Messi playing a key role in their second success at the Summer Games.

The senior Argentina squad secured Copa America glory earlier this summer but none of the players involved in that tournament have made the trip to Japan. Indeed, coach Fernando Batista has opted to stick with youngsters and has only used one of the three overage player spots available to him by taking 28-year-old keeper Jeremias Ledesma, who has been called up by the senior side but has never made an appearance.

Olyroos coach Graham Arnold, who is also the manager of the senior Australia team, has also only used one of his overage slots with striker Mitchell Duke of Western Sydney Wanderers in his travelling party.  The majority of the Aussie squad are based in the A-League but there are a few players in the team who ply their trades elsewhere, including highly-rated Stoke defender Harry Souttar, who is a full Socceroos international.

Australia won their final warm-up match against New Zealand in July, but prior to that slipped to four straight friendly defeats.  In contrast, Argentina go into this game in good form with three wins in five games in 2021, with one defeat and one draw.

This should be an interesting affair between two teams who have opted to give some young players a chance on the international stage and we feel Argentina have the quality to claim a win.  The Albicelestes have kept clean sheets in two of their three wins this year and as Australia have conceded at least two goals in three of their five games in 2021 a 2-0 win for the South Americans looks to have a chance in the correct score market.