by Graciela H. Ortiz
Argentina 8 defeated Chile 0
Goals: ARG - Jorge Lombi PC 20m PC 53m, Rodrigo Vila FG 35m, Marco Riccardi PC 37m, Matías Vila PC 48m, Marco Riccardi PC 56m; Lucas Vila PC 60m, Juan Manuel Saladino FG 69m.
Former Leonas coach Sergio Vigil made his official debut as the men's Argentine coach with an overwhelming 8-0 victory over Chile in the second match of a Four-Team Tournament at Club Ciudad de Buenos Aires on Wednesday.
In the first match, France struggled to beat Belgium 5-4.
Argentina played below their usual form in the first half as they seemed disconected because the players are still adapting to their new coach and some new members such as the U-21 players - Juan Martín López, Matías Rey, Juan Manuel Saladino and Lucas Vila - who also made their debut in the senior squad.
The first half was even with Chile pushing Argentina to the back in some passages of the match, but without accuracy to net.
However, the hosts showed some of their technical superiority and speed to net twice, in the 20th minute with a Jorge Lombi penalty corner, and in the 35th, through Rodrigo Vila after brilliant solo play by Matas Paredes.
But things changed after half-time as Argentina exerted full domination, showing almost 70 percent efectivity in penalty corners as they netted six goals from nine corners.
Thus, Marco Riccardi put Argentina 3-0 ahead from a powerful corner shot, in the 37th minute. Matías Vila scored the fourth, in the 48th, also from a corner shot. Five minutes later, Lombi again converted from a dragged flick for the 5-0 lead.
In the 56th minute, Riccardi netted and Lucas Vila increased the gap to 7-0, four minutes later, both from penalty corners.
Saladino sealed the triumph with a minute left, after a rush through the right side which finished with a precise crossed shot for the decisive 8-0 result.
In the last minute of the match, Chile failed to score the consolation goal as a penalty stroke hit by Felipe Montegú was brilliantly saved by Argentine keeper Joaqun Berthold.
On Thursday, Argentina will clash again Belgium at the same venue.
France 5 defeated Belgium 4
Goals: FRA - Mathieu Durchon FG 4m, Thomas Gourdin FG 20m, Christophe Gourdin FG 29m, Nicolas Monnier PC 42m, Soyez Frederic PC 55m; BEL - Charles Vandeweghe FG 9m, John Goldberg PS 48m, Maxime Luycx PC 50m, John Goldberg FG 61m
Belgium recovered from a 4-1 deficit and were close of equalising, but finally France gained an arduos 5-4 victory in the first match of the day.
The match was even with tight marking with France opening the score in the fourth minute through Mathieu Durchon, but Charles Vandeweghe equalised five minutes later.
From then on, France kept the pace to net three in a row through Thomas Gourdin (20th minute), Christophe Musgens (29th) and Nicolas Monnier (42nd minute). But Belgium recovered to close the gap to 4-3 with goals by John Goldberg (in the 48th minute) and Maxime Luycx, two minutes later, from a penalty stroke.
France increased the lead, in the 55th, from a penalty corner scored by captain Frederic Soyerz and with eight minutes left, Belgium netted again through Goldberg, giving more emotion to the final minutes.
Belgium were very close to equalizing, but finally a suffering France took the victory.
On Thursday, France meet Chile.
