Argentine press cheered on Monday after the nation's under-20 soccer team qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where they will defend the gold medal won in the 2004 Athens Games.

Sporting daily Ole filled its first page with a picture of Lautaro Acosta's goal celebrations, the last play in the 23rd South American Championships in a game Argentina won 1-0. Brazil had earlier won the championship.

Daily newspaper Clarin headlined with the phrase The Under-20: and on to the World Cup and the Games, but the main article complained of the poor quality soccer played by the team managed by Hugo Tocalli.

"The team lacked stars... it was ready to say goodbye to the under-20 without having shone. But when the team seemed ready to settle for only a place in the Canada 2007 Junior World Cup the goal came and gave them a ticket to Beijing," said the newspaper.

Missing from the squad were Lionel Messi, who plays for Spanishleague team Barcelona, and Sergio Aguero who plays for Spain's Atletico Madrid.

La Nacion headlined "Olympic Relief", describing the game as follows: "The last corner, the last hope, was taken by Maximiliano Morales. Lautaro Acosta is a midfielder, but he came on to play as a forward. He jumps as best he could: higher than he had in all the tournament."

"The Uruguayan goalkeeper Fontes was dazed. He jumped at the wrong time. The team yelled goal," the newspaper said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2007)