Spain 1 - Argentina 2

Spain: Riesgo; Alexis, Carlos García, Melli, Peña; Vitolo (Arizmendi 85'), Gabi; Corominas (Juanfran 72'), Iniesta (Manu 77'), Gavilán; Sergio García.4-2-3-1.
Argentina: Eberto; Romero, Rodríguez, Leandro Fernández, Botinelli; Zabaleta, Mascherano, Colace (Montillo 46'), Sosa (Herrera 46'); Cavenaghi, Cangele (Ferreyra 68'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 25. Gabi. Picked up loose ball and fired shot over keeper.
1-1. 51. Fernández. Header down past Riesgo from Cangele's pass in.
1-2. 76. Fernández. Got on the end of Ferreyra's free kick to head past Riesgo.

A bad start for Spain's youth side, who threw away the lead and ended up losing their opening match against Argentina. The game attracted a lot of interest as it threw together the last two champions of the competition, Argentina winning it two years ago and Spain two years before that.

Armando Ufarte put out his best available side, with Barcelona's Iniesta and Sergio García singled out as the most experienced players together with Betis defender Melli, who was named as team captain. They were however missing the two players who had got them this far, Fernando Torres and Reyes, both now playing for the full squad, and Bilbao's Jonan García was also unavailable as he was needed by his club.

The youngsters took the lead midway through the first half following a throw in, Atlético Madrid's Gabi winning the ball back and surprising the keeper with a dipping shot from outside of the area. And Iniesta could have made it two shortly before the break when he broke through only to shoot at the keeper.

Argentina came back though soon after the restart when River Plate star Cavenaghi played the ball to Cangele for him to set up Leandro Fernández for the equalizer. And Fernández was there again a quarter of an hour from the end to head Ferreyra's free kick wide of Riesgo for the winning goal. Spain now have to beat Mali, victors against Uzbekistain, to get their campaign back on track.