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Argentina U23 and Australia U23 will trade tackles on Thursday in their opening game at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Australia come into the tournament on the back of a 1-0 victory over New Zealand U23 in their final preparatory game last week. Mitchelle Duke scored the sole goal in the third minute.
Argentina played out a 2-2 draw with South Korea U23 last week. Alexis Mac Allister and Fernando Valenzuela scored in both halves for the South Americans, with Lee Dong-Gyeong and Eom Won-Sang equalizing on each occasion.
Spain U23 and Egypt U23 are the two other teams that make up Group C and they will all battle it out for the two qualification spots on offer.
Argentina U23 vs Australia U23 Head-to-Head
This will be the third time both nations have met at the Olympic Games and Argentina have picked up a 1-0 victory on both previous occasions.
Andres D'Alessandro scored the match winner in a Group C fixture at Athens 2004. Ezequiel Lavezzi scored the winner four years later in Beijing.
Argentina U23 picked up three wins from five preparatory games this year. Australia U23 suffered four consecutive defeats in friendlies before getting back to winning ways against New Zealand.
Argentina U23 form guide: D-W-W-L-W
Australia U23 form guide: W-L-L-L-L
Argentina U23 vs Australia U23 Team News
Argentina U23
Coach Fernando Batista named his final 22-man squad on 1 July 2021. The squad is dominated by players plying their trade in the Argentine Primera Liga, with half of the squad playing domestically.
Goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma is the only over-age player in the squad.
Injuries: None
Suspension: None
Australia U23
Mitchell Duke is the only over-age player in Australia's squad that also includes Harry Souttar of Stoke City.
Injuries: None
Suspension: None
Also See: Honduras U23 vs Romania U23 prediction, preview, team news and more | Tokyo Olympics 2020
Argentina U23 vs Australia U23 Predicted XI
Argentina U23 Predicted XI (4-3-3): Jeremias Ledesma (GK); Nehuen Perez, Hernan De La Fuente, Facundo Medina, Marcelo Herrera; Fausto Vera, Santiago Colombatto, Carlos Valenzuela; Adolfo Gaich, Ezequiel Ponce, Alexis Mac Allister
Australia Predicted XI (4-3-3): Tom Glover (GK); Nathaniel Atkinson, Kye Rowles, Harry Soutar, Thomas Deng; Keanu Baccus, Riley McGree, Denis Genreau; Daniel Arzani, Mitchell Duke, Reno Piscopo
Argentina U23 vs Australia U23 Prediction
The difference in class between the sides is evidenced by the fact that Argentina are two-time gold medalists at this level, in addition to a silver medal in 1996. Meanwhile, the Olyroos are yet to make it to the podium.
Fernando Batista's side are favorites and they should not have too many problems against an Australian U23 team that have struggled in recent months.
Prediction: Argentina U23 3-0 Australia U23
Also See: Japan U23 vs South Africa U23 prediction, preview, team news and more | Tokyo Olympics 2020
