Their first match against Italy came close to an upset, but a late goal from the opposition resulted in a 1-0 defeat. Nevertheless, this display raised hopes in Argentina, a country that celebrated a men’s World Cup title just last December.

In their second match, the Albiceleste displayed remarkable resilience, recovering from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with South Africa. Their campaign concluded with a 2-0 loss to the formidable team from Sweden, the best in their group.

Argentina’s coach, German Portanova, expressed mixed feelings about their elimination in Hamilton. He praised the team for giving their all and executing much of what he had instructed. However, he also acknowledged that the dream of victory fades when they don’t achieve the desired results.

“If I think about the three games, they gave their all and did a lot of what I told them to do, that’s the best thing that can happen to a coach. But the dream fades when we don’t win or qualify,” Reuters quoted Portanova as saying.

The team’s performance in the Women’s World Cup has marked the end of an era for some players. Midfielder Estefania Banini and other core names have played their final international games, making way for the emergence of new talent.

Portanova is hopeful that the younger players will be better equipped to compete physically with the world’s top women’s teams. He recognizes a need to address the deficit on the physical side and believes that increased efforts are required to close the gap and compete on equal terms with the best teams for longer periods.

(With Reuters inputs)

Updated: 03 Aug 2023, 07:04 AM IST