Nestor Lorenzo and the Colombian National Team continue without losing in preparation for the South American qualifying round that begins in September. This Friday, in a flat match, without wonder or anything similar, Colombia defeated Iraq 1-0. And winning never, but never, and it was not missing, will be bad at any time in football. Good!
And he won with a goal from what was perhaps the most surprising player in the squad: Mateo Cassierra, a semi-unknown to the majority of the fans, who is the center forward of the Russian Zenit. I try to refresh your memory: he played for Cali between 2015 and 2016 and then he became a globetrotter.
(Also read: Colombia was patient: they beat Iraq and remained undefeated in the Lorenzo era)
He scored the goal fighting, with power and force, crashing into his marker and taking it by the horns until he scored it, after a cross from Arias. Both had barely two minutes on the court. They replaced Santos Borré and Díaz.
And in that play, they resolved a game in which Colombia couldn’t find a way to break the Iraqi defense. The goal is the fundamental, basic and important thing in football. It seems silly to have to say it, but, well, it’s time to repeat it.
The surprise of Lorenzo’s lineup
The headline was surprising with Montero, Salazar, Cuadrado as internal midfielder in a 4-3-3 as with Queiroz, and Valoyes. Surprising formation, but understandable: this was the match to try new ones, since the rival was Iraq. The next and last game before the tie will be against Germany, on Tuesday. And Germany, even though they lost this Friday against Poland (0-1) and come limping and dragging their leg, it’s Germany.
The Colombia of this Friday, throughout the first half and in long passages of the second, was like the last Colombia of Reinaldo Rueda in Barranquilla: With the rival closed behind, he kept the ball, but without ingenuity or genius. Slow and patient team that causes impatience. He kicks very little at the goal.
Thus, the stationary ball is called hope. Thus, before the goal, two deflected headers, one from Dávinson and the other from Lucumí, was the most dangerous. But they failed like Borja, Muriel and everyone with Rueda in Barranquilla.
In the second half, as has happened with this National Team, the team reacted, went faster and won, although they were saved in two incredible plays. Lorenzo extended his undefeated preparation to five wins and two draws because this time Cassierra, like Sinisterra or Durán before, did what none did for Rueda’s Colombia in the elimination of Qatar: the goal!
Meluk tells him…
Gabriel Meluk
Sports Editor
@MelukLeCuenta
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