In their final game of 2009, Argentina was defeated 4-2 by Catalunya in the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, with the renowned Diego Maradona watching from the stands due to a FIFA penalty. Argentina labored greatly and lost by a significant margin once again.
Sergio Garcia, Bojan, Sergio Gonzalez, and Moises Hurtado scored the goals for Catalunya. While for Los Albicelestes, Javier Pastore and Angel Di Maria converted.
Following a scoreless first half in which Argentina displayed some respectable football, Catalunya took the lead two minutes before the break on a goal from Garcia.
Due to an injury, Lionel Messi, the FIFA World Player of the Year, was absent from Los Albicelestes.
Ten minutes into the half, Bojan increased Catalunya’s advantage. Eight minutes later, Pastore scored Argentina’s consolation goal with an incredible long-range rocket.
Garcia restored Catalonia’s lead a few minutes later from the penalty spot, and then Di Maria added Argentina’s second goal of the game with a beautiful crossing strike.
Johan Cruyff made his formal debut as the team’s coach, while Hurtado put Catalunya’s victory beyond Argentina’s reach seconds afterward.
Argentina, on the other hand, kept disappointing and will need to significantly improve in the next months to have any chance of leaving the World Cup group stage.
In Group B, the two-time world champions will compete against Nigeria, Korea Republic, and Greece.
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