How can we not be excited about this Colombian team? Néstor Lorenzo’s team played a great game in Glendale, Arizona, in the midst of high temperatures, in front of 27,386 spectators, mostly dressed in yellow, who enjoyed one of the best games of the Argentine’s era.
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It was a resounding 3-0, which could have been wider, against a Costa Rica that ran out of arguments as soon as they received the first goal, which leaves them already installed in the quarterfinals of the Copa América.
Colombia had to be patient, because Costa Rica again gave up possession of the ball and decided to hold on to the ball in their own half, to form a block of nine players and to turn the area around their goal into a minefield. So they had to avoid, at all costs, the same despair that Brazil fell into on the first matchday, which cost them their chances of not being able to start with a victory.
Very early on, Colombia gave the first warning: at 6 minutes, Luis Díaz had an option with a header after a cross from Ríchard Ríos. The field tilted towards the Costa Rican goal. At 20, in an action that was born in the Colombian area, James Rodríguez, who was celebrating ten years since his double against Uruguay, had the option to score after a great play by Díaz, who reached the bottom and threw a pass to the edge from the area: the ’10’ shot sent goalkeeper Sequeira flying.
The goal was about to fall. At 24, Dávinson Sánchez failed to catch a rebound and throw the ball over the goal. And at 28, finally, there was the opportunity to open the scoring, with a great shot from Johan Mojica to Jhon Córdoba: when the striker already seemed to be controlled by Francisco Calvo, the goalkeeper, who had come out for nothing, ended up running over him. Clear penalty, which Luis Díaz converted into a goal in a great way, hanging the ball at an angle while the goalkeeper went to the other post, at 31.
That first half could have ended with one more goal in their favour. Dávinson Sánchez missed it again, after a great cross from James that Díaz brought down into the six-yard box: the Galatasaray defender arrived late and was unable to connect.
Colombia’s calmness helps increase the score against Costa Rica
After 135 minutes of Copa del Rey in which they did not have a single shot on goal, Costa Rica finally remembered that there was a different goal to guard. With the entry of veteran Joel Campbell and Joseph Mora, coach Gustavo Alfaro changed his mind a bit.
However, it was now Colombia who were pushing Costa Rica back into their own area. The second goal was ripe. And it came in an action that is becoming characteristic of the National Team, the offensive aerial game: of the 43 goals the team has scored in the Lorenzo era, 11 have been headed goals. Now, the one who scored was Dávinson Sánchez, after a great charge by Jhon Arias, in the 59th minute.
Costa Rica, with nothing to defend, found itself disoriented on the field and exposed to being scored on. And it happened very quickly, at 62, in a play that was born from a good pass by Jefferson Lerma, who joined James Rodriguez. The ’10’ had the vision to put in, with his less skilled leg, the right, a spectacular assist to Jhon Cordoba, who ran into the gap and shot across the goal to beat Sequeira and turn the game into a rout.
Colombia had time to give minutes to the young people
The wide difference in the score gave Lorenzo a margin of testing, who had already taken out Ríchard Ríos in the intermission to take care of him for the yellow card he received: Mateus Uribe entered in his place. And then, the coach began to add fresh blood: Kevin Castaño and Yaser Asprilla, two of those called to take over in the future, replaced Lerma and James, who, once again, came out applauded.
Later, Lorenzo gave the attack a new lease of life with Rafael Santos Borré and Jhon Jáder Durán, to the applause of Lucho and Córdoba, who had been cautioned in the play that ended in his goal, for taking off his shirt in celebration. It turned out to be a dress rehearsal with the public for the team that will take over the future when the established players leave.
It was a great game for Colombia, with great individual performances and a collective performance that gives us hope. But, as Marcelo Bielsa said when talking about Uruguay, the hardest part has not yet begun. First comes Brazil, on Tuesday, at the close of the first phase. And then, the quarter-finals, where the Cup will really begin. Neither the unbeaten run of 25 games (22 with Lorenzo) nor what has been done so far will count there. But with this level, why not get excited…
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Deputy Editor
@josasc
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