The die is cast: Reinaldo Rueda, coach of the Colombian National Team, announced the call for the last two qualifying matches for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Between March 24 and 29, the team will play its future. And wheel too.
The accounts are already becoming more complicated for Colombia, because in addition to winning, they need favorable results in the matches that Uruguay, Peru and Chile, the three teams that precede them in the standings, must play.
These are the five conclusions left by the call made by Rueda:
It gave confidence to the same players as always
Rueda’s list does not have any strange name, he did not look for hidden forces or appeal to players who had not been in this year and two months of process under his command. For the DT, basically, that is what it is.
The creation, again, at the feet of James and Quintero
Not having time to prepare something different thinking about the two games that come in the tie, Rueda decided to give continuity to James Rodríguez and Juan Fernando Quintero. The problem is how they get to these two games, especially James, who hasn’t played in Al Rayyan’s last few games. Quintero has scored goals, but he is not the undisputed starter for Marcelo Gallardo at River.
The return of Fabra and Yairo, another attack option
Rueda, again, begins to look for alternatives for the position of left back, which in recent games was held by Johan Mojica. Although the Elche side is summoned, the DT called, after eight months, Frank Fabra, from Boca Juniors, thinking, surely, of launching him into the attack, and recovered Yairo Moreno, who was of his confidence and had not been able to have continuity due to his injuries.
Little of the local microcycles
The much promoted work of the National Team with players from the local environment did not leave, practically, no representation in this last call for the South American qualifier. The two who play in the country, goalkeeper Álvaro Montero and striker Miguel Ángel Borja, have been with the National Team for some time. Perhaps the only one is Hárold Preciado, who left Deportivo Cali this year for Mexico, but had only been in the country for six months after a long time in China.
Overpopulation of forwards
Rueda summoned eight attackers, including men from the area and wingers. Luis Díaz, with a brilliant moment with Liverpool, will be a star piece in this call. Luis Sinisterra, who is doing well at Feyenoord, receives a new opportunity, as does Alfredo Morelos. Muriel, Borré and Borja, regulars summoned in the middle of the long streak without a goal, appear again on the list. And Preciado seeks to break ground. How many of them will be on the court and in what positions?
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Sub-Editor
@josasc
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