After the score became 3-0, Argentina completely sealed the victory. Therefore, Gerardo Martino began to replace Messi, Di Maria, and Zabaleta who had played two consecutive games to rest.
In the following games, Argentina had no desire to attack and just counted the rest of the time. After all, many people have traveled thousands of miles from Europe to participate in the national team training, and they have to fly back after that. It is also true that the journey back and forth is tiring.
Although Willard tried to continue to score goals to gain experience, after all, the national team's game experience is too rich, but he had poor luck in scoring today. Two long-range shots outside the penalty area failed to hit the goal frame, and a header from a corner kick failed. The attack was saved by the goalkeeper because the angle was too right.
In the end, Argentina defeated Ecuador 3-0 and won the second friendly match of this FIFA match day.
Velarde, who started and played the entire game, gained another experience of starting 10 million + 1 assist 5 million + winning bonus 30 million + A-level performance 50 million = 95 million, with the total experience rising to level 31 102.76 million/5000 million, automatically upgraded to level 32 52.76 million/60 million, and received an upgrade reward of 40 skill points, and the balance of skill points increased to 86.
Afterwards, everyone interacted with the fans and celebrated, then went back to the locker room to wash up and change clothes, and then returned to their own clubs.
Before leaving, Gerardo Martino spoke to Velarde privately and asked him to prepare for the Copa America in Chile. Obviously, Velarde's outstanding performance in two consecutive friendly matches has conquered the head coach, and he has been appointed as one of the main lineup for the Copa America in Chile in June.
This is undoubtedly very good news, and Willard can return to club games in a good mood. Of course, the club must also perform very well in the next competition. Otherwise, if he is too exhausted, it is not impossible for Martino to break his promise and not recruit Velarde into the roster.
The Argentine domestic media the next day praised the national team's good form in the 3-0 victory over Ecuador, especially newcomer Alan Velarde, who started the game and played the entire game, performing exceptionally well on both offense and defense.
Defensively, Velarde's performance is no worse than Mascherano, and is even better than Mascherano in terms of speed and heading. As for offense, Velarde completely defeated Mascherano. Not only did he have one assist, but he also made many threatening passes or threatening shots.
Such a versatile defensive general must be taken to play in the America's Cup. Perhaps this will change Argentina's curse of not winning international championships for many years.
Willard returned home and was warmly welcomed by Desia and others, and once again slept together for a ridiculous night.
Later, Velarde learned from his agent that after becoming a national player and performing outstandingly in two games, a real company had come to him and invited Velarde to be a brand spokesperson.
This is different from the previous endorsement of Nagonia Restaurant. That restaurant was purely for fun. They just helped create a gathering place for fans, and then I took my girlfriends to eat there for free or at a discount.
In addition, after this excellent trip to the national team, many fans of other teams have followed his social accounts, making the total number of fans of Velarde's social accounts on various platforms exceeded 1 million.
This is already an incredible achievement for a backcourt defensive player who is not very famous yet. Some of the stars who have already signed up and played in Europe do not have so many fans and attention.
It can be said that everything is developing for the better.
The next step is to play well in the league and the Copa Libertadores, and while helping to compete for the championship, strive to add more skills to the 90 limit of the Argentine League to prepare for a blockbuster in the Copa America.
After returning to the club, Willard also received warm congratulations from his teammates, who praised him for being selected for the national team and for his outstanding performance in the two games.
Now, the probability of Velarde entering the squad for the Copa America in Chile is even higher. Of course, his teammates didn't know that Martino had basically confirmed Willard, and Willard naturally wouldn't leak the secret in advance.
In the next two days, everyone’s training became more serious. Although everyone knows that they don't have Willard's talent, and they can't train as hard and as fast as Willard, but it's always right to be serious.
Just like what head coach Mario Binco said before, work harder and perform better. Even if you renew your contract with the club in the future, negotiate salary increases, transfers, or even land in Europe, you must have more confidence.
On April 5, in the 8th round of the A-League, Atletico Hurricanes played at home against the super giant Boca Juniors.
There is no doubt that Boca Juniors are the two largest super giants in Argentina, tied with River Plate. They are famous all over the world. Not only have they won dozens of domestic league and cup championships, they have also won many South American Libertadores Cups and Champions Leagues. Champions League, as well as several Toyota Cup/Club World Cup and so on.
In the first 7 rounds of the league, Hurricanes Athletics ranked first in the standings with a record of 6 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss and 18 points. Boca Juniors remained unbeaten with 5 wins, 2 draws and 0 losses and ranked second with 17 points.
This eighth round of the league is the battle for the top spot between the first and second teams. Whoever wins will occupy the top spot in the standings.
More importantly, in the Argentine Cup 1/16 finals last season, the Hurricanes defeated Boca Juniors 2-0 away from home, starting the Hurricanes' dark horse journey in the Argentine Cup, and finally won the championship in one fell swoop and even reached the finals. Understand the qualifying rounds of the Copa Libertadores, and then break out of the qualifying rounds and enter the main competition of the Copa Libertadores.
It can be said that Boca Juniors is the first victim and stepping stone of Atletico Hurricanes' miracle of winning the double as a second division team last season.
Boca Juniors has always remembered this shame. Even if we don't talk about the current battle for the top of the A-League standings, just the shame of losing two goals to a second-division team last year, Boca Juniors must come back in this game.
Therefore, this league match in the 8th round can be called a battle of revenge for Boca Juniors. Boca Juniors will definitely go all out and show no mercy at all.
In fact, Boca Juniors' starting lineup in this game was a 4-3-3 formation, and both wingers played with their own backfoot. That is to say, players whose dominant foot is left foot play as right winger; players whose dominant foot is right foot play as left winger.
The natural goal is to break through from the wing and then cut in and shoot like Robben and Di Maria did.
Coupled with the attacking group of center and two wingers, Boca Juniors has clearly demonstrated their intention to capture the Thomas Duke Stadium.
Of course, Hurricanes Athletics was undeterred.
Whether it is the league or the Copa Libertadores group stage, Atletico Hurricanes' results are better than Boca Juniors. What's more, this is the home court of the Hurricanes Athletic Team, so they can't be afraid of the other side.
However, not being afraid psychologically does not mean that you have to be tough with the opponent.
Since Boca Juniors is going to attack 433, the Hurricanes should avoid its edge and focus on defensive counterattacks. Even at home, facing a super giant like Boca Juniors, there is no shame in playing defensive counterattack. What's more, the Hurricanes have played a 4231 formation since the start of this season, and everyone is familiar with it, so no one will have any objections.
Just like that, at 20:00 on the evening of April 5, with the referee's whistle, the match between Atletico Hurricanes and Boca Juniors in the 8th round of the 2015 A-League season officially started at the Thomas Duke Stadium, the home of the Hurricanes.
After a few minutes of testing in the opening minutes, Boca Juniors stopped being polite when they saw that the Hurricanes were determined to counterattack defensively. They began to press forward with their formation, increased their offensive intensity, and began to attack the Hurricanes' defense. .
In this game, it was no longer Lucas Villaruel who partnered with Alan Willard in the double midfielder, but the original main midfielder Federico Bismara.
It has to be said that head coach Mario Binco was prescient. Federico Bismara, who is more experienced and stable, appears to be more stable when facing the impact of a giant like Boca Juniors.
Although his consciousness and defensive ability may not be as good as Velarde's, as long as Velarde reminds him, he can help defend in time and will not be able to rush up and be broken through by the opponent like Lucas.
As long as the opponent is held back a little, Willard or other teammates can make up for it and plug the loopholes.
In the 7th minute, Boca Juniors used winger Pablo Perez to lure Velard away, and then passed the ball to forward Melli on the other side, allowing Melli to break through on the other wing and prepare to Bottom.
But Melly delayed a little time when he broke through Hurricanes full-back Bonny Fashaw, which gave Federico Bismara time to go to cover after being signaled by Velarde. The defense was in place, and Melly broke through. A flying tackle from Bonnie Fashaw pushed the ball out of bounds.
Before Melly could avoid it, he was tackled to the ground by Bismara. Melly wanted to ask the referee for a free kick to call Bismara a foul, but the referee ignored it and only gave Boca Juniors a throw-in.
Taking advantage of this time, Velarde had successfully crossed the court and ran near the position where the throw-in was served. Then after Boca Juniors threw the throw-in, Velarde received the ball from Boca winger Federico Cali. Suo stretched his foot and poked the ball away.
In the 13th minute, Boca Juniors played a good team attack. In the end, winger Lodeiro cut inside and passed the ball in an inverted triangle. Midfielder Elwes inserted in the back row and met the ball on the right side of the top of the penalty area. The furious shot produced a huge force, forming a world wave of heavy artillery, and the flight path also went straight to the right side of the goal, with a rather tricky angle.
If the ball is allowed to fly towards the goal, it is really hard to say whether goalkeeper Marcos Dias can save it!
At the critical moment, it was Villard again, who rushed back to the penalty area from the midfield, returned to defense, made a flying dive, and headed the ball out of the baseline to clear the ball.
Four minutes later, Boca Juniors got a corner kick, but the first point after the corner kick was taken by Eduardo Domingos, who tried to push out of the penalty area to clear the ball.
However, he was interfered by Boca center back Tosilieri and failed to exert any force. The ball he pushed still landed in the penalty area, and it was not far from the goal, only about 10 meters. If the ball is headed by someone from Boca Juniors, it is still possible that it will be headed in. Although it is not very powerful, it can still score goals if it is pushed from a tricky angle.
In the end, it was Velard who grabbed the ball again. He gained the upper hand in the duel with Boca Juniors' other central defender Daniel Dias, jumped high, grabbed the ball over the opponent's head, and There was still energy left to make a ferry, and the ball was passed to Mancinelli, who was slightly empty next to him.
Mancinelli received the ball from Velarde's header, and before the ball landed, he directly volleyed the ball into the midfield, which completely resolved the chaos in the penalty area.
Regardless of physique, jumping, heading, speed, consciousness, defensive ability, etc., Villard is completely unique at the A-League level. No matter how the opponent tries, it is impossible to completely avoid Villard. things.
Many times, when facing Willard, opponents can only rely on luck. Sometimes it is possible to break through Willard if you perform extraordinarily well.
