Yes, it’s a friendly match. But Colombia’s 0-2 victory this Tuesday in Gelsenkirchen, against Germany, is a huge confidence boost. Never before had the National Team beaten the four-time world champion, and even less with the public against it and, above all, with a great demonstration of solidity, which gives wind to the shirt in the face of the real challenges, the tie and the Copa América, which will begin exactly one year from now.
It was, by far, the best game of the Néstor Lorenzo era, without blackouts, with very little suffering, with a solid performance that gives a lot of peace of mind, and that, surely, will now make the coach think about what is to come, when he has other trusted players that he couldn’t summon this time.
Néstor Lorenzo, the coach of the Colombian National Team, bet on the most experienced point guard he had to play against the Germans: Camilo Vargas, Yerry Mina, Deiver Machado (who hasn’t played as many games with the National Team, but is around 30 years old). , Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, Mateus Uribe… And along with them, he gave Jhon Arias the opportunity to start.
The Fluminense player surprised by playing inside, alongside Lerma, while Cuadrado recalled old times with the National Team playing on the wing. And the two were very important to get the team out from the bottom and create danger.
Colombia had a bold, fast game, with some cracks that still need to be corrected, like Daniel Muñoz’s back, and, above all, knowing that they had something to attack with. Even the two clearest goal options in the first stage came through Mina, first with a header and then, by taking a rebound on the edge of the area. The central defender, however, was spared a maximum penalty: he gave Kai Havertz a wheelie and neither the central defender nor the VAR noticed.
Luis Díaz scored again with the Colombian National Team
Lorenzo gave continuity to the team in the second stage and with the same players, and a little more precision, the goal of the advantage appeared, in minute 54. Luis Díaz scored again with the National Team’s shirt (yesterday, the red one), by connecting with his head an extraordinary cross from Juan Guillermo Cuadrado. Yes, a headed goal against Germany. Although, it must be said, the most recent had also been that way, marked by Iván Córdoba in 1999.
Germany tried to wake up from the blow, but Colombia’s defensive structure worked very well and, rather, the visitors could have the option of finishing off a counterattack.
When Colombia was already calming down and betting on the counterattack, a penalty play arrived. Deiver Machado threw a center and Joshua Kimmich ended up doing a basketball, although the ball first hit him in the chest. Cuadrado changed the penalty for a goal, by completely misplacing goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen.
In the last minutes, Lorenzo refreshed the team, closed the game and celebrated. Yes, it’s a friendly match. But it is a huge victory, which gives the National Team a huge boost.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
sports deputy editor
@josasc
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