Enzo Fernandes is coached by Hernan Crespo at Defensa y Justicia, was handed Eusebio’s iconic quantity 13 jersey at Benfica and scored final night time’s second aim for Argentina in a 2-0 win over Mexico on the Lusail Stadium – all 21 yr outdated throughout.
If Lionel Messi’s aim launched a stress cooker of stress that slowly reached tipping level within the 80,000-seat stadium, Fernandes’ strike calmed the Argentines. A aim up, the Mexicans had been harmful, however extra so within the place they had been in. A defeat would imply Argentina would be part of hosts Qatar in an early, early exit from the event. A draw would go away them on the mercy of others. Victory have to be determined – the magician at hand had already achieved his job.
And then got here a nook within the 86th minute – a brief cross by Rodrigo de Paul to Messi. Which then went to Fernandes. Fernandes’ first contact instantly introduced him right into a battle zone with Mexico’s two field border police. His subsequent transfer elicited a puff of shock after which a roar of enjoyment from commentator Peter Drury. “Oh, sweet feint… wonderful goal!”
How rapidly did it occur? Fernandes collided with Eric Gutierrez – who was standing instantly in entrance of the Argentine midfielder – and the aim. Gutiérrez then shifted to his proper and will name a pitch to a footballer in shoulder drops away from aim. After the defender inadvertently moved out of the best way, Fernandes fired a shot to Guillermo Ochoa’s proper. Before Gutierrez or Ochoa might even understand that their hopes of a comeback had been over, the Benfica midfielder was already kissing his badge and being heckled by Messi in entrance of screaming Argentines. That’s over.
Fernandes’ affect on the sport, nonetheless, started a lot earlier. A toothless Argentine midfield, led by De Paul, was unable to string collectively intervals of sustained stress on the Mexicans – stress that would solely be borne by means of a passing clinic that started when Fernandes was substituted within the second half. it was achieved.
¡Inmenjo! pic.twitter.com/QpHdR4uqaY
– Argentina National Team 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) November 26, 2022
It was solely his fifth look for Argentina however his influence was instantly felt. Argentina took the lead within the midfield division for the primary time on this event. They had a participant who might transfer the ball throughout the pitch, with which he understood the hazards of being wasteful and put fixed stress on the Mexicans along with his supply of the ball. Why would they ship this participant to the bench?
Not realizing about Fernandes’ expertise has been one side that has adopted him all through his youth profession. After 13 years within the River Plate youth system, he broke into the senior crew, however was rapidly despatched out on mortgage to Defensa y Justicia. It was there that the legendary Crespo gave him match after match – and that perception culminated within the crew successful the Copa Sudamericana within the 2020 season.
#Qatar2022 🎙 Lionel Messi in convention: “I’m not surprised by Enzo (Fernandez), I know him and I train with him every day. He deserves it because he’s a fantastic player”. pic.twitter.com/uidvnGjI4a
– Argentina National Team 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) November 26, 2022
Fernandez advised Ole, “When Marcelo (Gallardo, River Plate coach) told me about Defensa, I took it well because it was a chance to show myself, get some games, to have first-class players. compete against.” “I used to be fortunate to be coached by two nice coaches like Crespo and Sebastien Bekases, share a crew with massive gamers and even higher ones and win two titles that may go down in historical past.
River Plate instantly recalled Fernandez. At the beginning of the 2022 season, Fernandes was in type, scoring eight targets and 6 assists in 19 appearances – a feat that caught the attention of European scouts. A number of months later, Benfica managed to win the race to signal the midfielder, incomes him the prized jersey of Portuguese attacker Eusébio. And since becoming a member of the crew, they’ve performed 13 league video games, successful twelve of them and are but to lose.
He ranks within the 99th percentile for passes tried and makes practically 10 progressive passes per recreation – all whereas averaging 2.5 tackles a recreation. The stats show what the attention sees – Fernandez generally is a combative midfielder with wonderful passing abilities, particularly within the third leg.
In this World Cup, it was necessary for the South Americans to seek out the precise midfield mixture. While Lionel Scaloni continues to be a way away from that prospect, his crew’s second-half midfield performances, particularly a Gundogan-esque efficiency from Fernandez in the course of the Lusail Stadium, are beginning to put a number of extra items of the Argentine puzzle collectively. Right Place.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
