Thiago Almada, repeatedly praised and valued by Javier Mascherano, was once again crucial for the survival of the Argentine national team in the Paris 2024 football tournament, securing a spot in the quarterfinals with a victory over Ukraine (2-0).

The attacking midfielder from Brazil's Botafogo, one of the World Cup champions present at this Olympic event, broke the deadlock at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon at the start of the second half with a magnificently executed shot from the edge of the area, full of class and precision. Claudio 'Diablito' Echeverri, who replaced him, added the finishing touch in stoppage time.

Almada's goal provided the calm that the Albiceleste needed, as a draw would have been enough to avoid a third consecutive Olympic group stage elimination, but with Morocco winning the other group match, a Ukrainian goal could have been fatal.

Ruslan Rotan's team hardly posed any danger. Argentina, controlling possession, managed the game well but didn't create many clear chances either, coming close just before halftime with a shot from Julián Álvarez and a break from Luciano Gondou that the goalkeeper thwarted in a one-on-one.

Almada had to be the one to clear the path for Mascherano's squad with his vision and skill to place the ball in the top corner. With the lead, Argentina handled the game without many disturbances and maintained concentration in defense, led by Nicolás Otamendi and Marco Di Cesare, to thwart nearly all Ukrainian attempts on Gero Rulli's goal.

'Diablito' Echeverri, who replaced the scorer in the 78th minute, took advantage of his time on the field to seal the victory by capitalizing on a rebound from the Ukrainian goalkeeper off a shot from Kevin Zenón.

The Argentine team, which had a surreal start with the controversial loss to Morocco, now awaits their next opponent, which could be France in what promises to be a thrilling duel.