Franco Domínguez Ávila, brother of striker Chimy Ávila, has taken a significant step in his career by winning a silver medal with Argentina's U-19 team at the South American Games. The young forward, who made his Argentine Primera División debut this year for Estudiantes de La Plata, was a key figure in the tournament held in Santa Fe.
Domínguez played five matches for the young Albiceleste and scored two goals in the group stage. His first came in a 2-1 loss to Paraguay, and the second was the only goal in a 1-0 win over Uruguay. That contribution helped the team reach the final, where they faced Paraguay once again.
A physically demanding final
The gold medal match ended 0-0 after 90 minutes, in what was described as a physically demanding contest. Domínguez, who started and played the full match, had chances to score and also set up Ian Subiabre for a clear opportunity in the fourth minute. Argentina played the final minutes with ten men after Thiago Fernández was sent off.
In the penalty shootout, Domínguez was the second taker and scored confidently. Felipe Esquivel, Thiago Pérez and Facundo Jainikoski also converted, but a shot over the crossbar from Olima proved decisive. Paraguay scored all five of their penalties, with Mauro Coronel netting the winner for a 5-4 final score.
This youth achievement adds to the strong current state of Argentine football across all levels. The senior national team, which tops its World Cup qualifying group with 9 points from three wins, is preparing for its next match against Bolivia. Lionel Scaloni's side has scored 6 goals and conceded just one across those three matches, showing solid collective form.
Franco Domínguez, who came through the youth ranks at Osasuna while his brother played there, now aims to cement his place at Estudiantes while remaining on the radar of the youth national teams. His club side, Estudiantes de La Plata, currently sits fifth in the Liga Profesional, pushing for qualification for next year's Copa Libertadores.
The original report is at Noticias de Navarra
