Score fails to reflect Amajita’s effort
after Senatla broke the line to set the Stormers on their way.
The Highlanders were out of sync in the first half and despite fashioning one or two chances for the dangerous Waisake Naholo, it required some brave head-on tackles by Willemse and Dillyn Leyds.
They enjoyed their best period of the match in the 15 minutes after the break when they secured almost all the possession.
Smith pulled the strings beautifully in that period and eventually the Highlanders created enough pressure for centre Sio Tomkinson to score. But the home side responded well with the visitors suddenly back in a contest in which they had barely had a foothold.
From just inside the Highlanders’ half, Jantjies put Leyds into space and the slippery wing broke the first tackle and was away. He fed hard-working lock Cobus Wiese, who galloped over for the Stormers’ third try, a step closer to the bonus point.
That hope was diminished 13 minutes from time when Naholo finished off a move to keep the Highlanders’ faint hopes alive. SA (1) 2 (1) 5 GOALS: South Africa — Keenan Phillips (23m), Lyle Foster (85m, pen)
Argentina — Fausto Vera (4m), Esequiel Barco (63m, pen & 71m), Julian Alvarez (78m), Adolf Gaich (92m) ● Ten-man SA held their own in patches, but ultimately were muscled out of their opening Fifa Under-20 World Cup game 5-2 by Argentina in a thriller at Stadion Miejski in Tychy, Poland, last night.
Argentina now top Group F on goal difference from Portugal, who earlier beat South Korea 1-0.
All is not lost for Amajita. The top two teams and four best third-placed finishers progress to the last 16.
Considering the manner in which it started, the first half could not have gone much better for SA. A goal from Fausto Vera, powering in a header from Cristian Ferreira’s corner, put Amajita on the back foot.
A classy equaliser by Keenan Phillips got SA back into the game. The Bidvest Wits
After the South Africans grew a few inches, often having Argentina stretched
right-back got up excellently to Promise Mkhuma’s free-kick to glance a header past advancing goalkeeper Manuel Roffo.
After scoring, the South Africans grew a few inches, often having Argentina stretched with skilful build-ups.
Argentina came out of the break notably stepping up the tempo.
On the hour a first VAR decision went against SA as centreback Givemore Khupe was adjudged to have fouled Ferreira. Esequiel Barco slotted in the penalty.
A second VAR ruling was less marginal, after Phillips rashly hacked at Facundo Medina and was red-carded in the 66th minute.
The South Americans produced a sublime third as Julian Alvarez chipped to Barco free on the left, who volleyed past Khubeka from an improbable angle in the 71st minute.
Substitute Adolf Gaich beat Khupe on the left and squared for Alvarez to easily sweep in a fourth in the 78th minute minute.
Medina muscled SA replacement Leo Thethani off the ball and the referee pointed to the spot. Lyle Foster buried to the right of Roffo to pull one back in the 85th.
Gaich swept in a fifth for Argentina from a corner in the 92nd.