Lorenzo, the Scaloni of Colombia…? (Opinion by Jorge Barraza, Último tango)

The National Team bus should have a sign that says: COLOMBIA, GROWING TEAM. That doesn't stop evolving. And as long as she does it, he wins. And whom…!! He has already lost three world champions (Germany, Brazil, Spain), the fourth (Uruguay) escaped him when he already had it in the bag. Let's be honest, it is not a Spain that raises exclamations either. It's not uuuuuuuhhhhh… It was more the shirt than those who wore it. Pedro Porro, Vivian, Mikel Merino, Pablo Sarabia, Gerard Moreno, Oyarzábal, Joselu, Baena, the goalkeepers Raya and Merino… All discreet names. Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Piqué, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Niño Torres are a beautiful and now distant memory. But it was Spain. And in London, which gives a certain epic and quite glamor to the conquest.

It is a magnificent triumph in form. Spain had only one more or less disturbing arrival in the 95 minutes, at 48', a left-footed volley from Gerard Moreno down that Vargas covered with his usual efficiency. Vargas does not have the halo of other notable Colombian goalkeepers (there were plenty), he is a football worker, he goes out with his bag and food, he gives his wife a kiss and returns eight hours later, but the ones he has to take , takes them out. And he doesn't make Ospina or anyone miss him. It was the only ball that Colombia conceded to Spain. Other than that, not a single crumb.

There were two marked times: the first, with insistent Iberian dominance, but without arrivals, and the second, with a spicy Colombia. And in the middle, the goal. A goal in itself is a merit, if it is a great goal like this, double weighting. It is worth telling it, so that it remains as a record: James makes a precise and beautiful pass from thirty meters down the left side into the void to Luis Diaz, who dives into the space marked by Vivian, beats him in speed, dominates, faces the mark, fakes in, goes out and throws a past cross, surpasses the defense and Daniel Muñoz was packed behind him, who in an acrobatic action throws sideways and connects from the air to the net. Beautiful goal for a beautiful victory. A kiss on the mouth.

Vivian and Pedro Porro are in a mental hospital, Luis Díaz drove them crazy. What a nice player, Lucho…! Fast, skillful, approachable. He is at the highest possible level, he always plays at Liverpool, he always starts, he is always a figure. And in the National Team he is starting to be that Luis Díaz. The most important thing of all: he is a genuine player, on the court, not on social networks. He goes at a hundred kilometers per hour and carries the ball short, centimeters (at Messi), which gives him an advantage over the defenders, and he fakes, brakes, engages, fakes and brakes again and in the end he decides. It's wonderful to have a striker like that.

And after Lucho comes James, who is two players in one. He is the problematic and non-performing one of the clubs, and there is the James of the national team. He comes rolling downhill, from club to club, but with the national shirt he shines, it is the perfect habitat for him. He feels loved, supported (the coach supports him in every call, in the press conferences). And he performs more than expected. In São Paulo he hides to avoid taking a penalty against Novorizontino, here he dares anything. He entered at the beginning of the second period for Carrascal (he did not touch her). At 56' he took a shot from about 25 meters to the right that forced Remiro to make an effort to put it into the corner. He had more precision than strength, but it was a goal warning. And he raised the audience, mostly Colombians, shook the atmosphere, encouraged his colleagues. Two minutes later, an overflow from Luis Díaz, center back and James, arriving forcedly, sent it very high, but it was another notification for Spain. And at 60', the winning goal, initiated by the left foot of the 10. This time the pre-pre-assist was important, decisive. James is another success for the coach. They criticize him for summoning him, but he gives them results. He is ready for the middle of the game, however he is a game-changer. Intelligent, very technical and with the same masterful punch as always.

Colombia did not box itself in that first half by its own decision, Spain boxed it in. Lerma and Castaño did not work in containment and the unusual yellows came. The color of the shirts was a punishment from the organizers: Colombia in black, Spain in yellow. Surely there will be a marketing explanation, but we do not accept it. Néstor Lorenzo gave a credible explanation: “We were late to the pressure and we couldn't recover, that's why they dominated us. Then we correct it.” Bolillo Gómez gave us a very interesting theory years ago: “The advantage that Brazil and Argentina have over us is that when they are doing something wrong in the first half, they remedy it in the second half, and we remedy it in the next game.” This time it was resolved at halftime. “Colombia is a second-time team,” he heard tiredly, as a reproach. But ultimately it is a reflection of the coach's vision, that is where the salary is earned, in those fifteen minutes: he knows how to press the right buttons.

The good thing is that, despite the dominance of the Spanish navy, the defense held out without drama, standing with alacrity, but also with serenity. And it did not allow him to carry out even one dangerous action. The central pair (Cuesta-Lucumí) is magnificent, a watch. And everyone is supportive. Muñoz had some hot flashes with Grimaldo (one of the revelations of the Bayer Leverkusen sensation in Europe), but no one helped him because of his side, Arias did not go down enough. Colombia endures games calmly when it must defend, and it hurts when the time comes to score.

A critic…? The three attacks separated by thirty meters each, so it is impossible to combine, which is why it partly went unnoticed. Casierra. That's why Luis Díaz had no one to play with in the first half. And that's why he didn't stand out John Arias. This time it did not influence the result, from now on it can be decisive. It is clear that, for the coach, this is the starting team. If you play with Spain first, all the meat goes there. N
obody saves players for Romania.

The most important thing of all is to get the technician right. The 9 can be Juan or Pedro, it is not so fundamental. In Argentina, the forwards have not converted for more than a year: Lautaro Martínez 15 games and Julián Álvarez 11, and the team is still good, there is a collective. Lorenzo can be the Scaloni of Colombia. Hopefully. Who was right, Jesurún…? After the failure of the previous Qualifier, the logical thing was to go for a heavy name, Bielsa, Gareca, Fossati, some Spaniard… But they played it for someone who knew the National Team. Good.

The press in Colombia does not praise Lorenzo, it keeps him under observation. Lorenzo is the perfect guy who the press would beat up. And he can't… his numbers are devastating: 17 games, 12 wins, 5 draws, 27 goals for, just 9 against. Only undefeated in the Qualifiers, with the classification on track. And without great players, only one superstar -Luis Díaz-, and an illustrious one, James. It is not the abundant time of the Valderramas, Freddy Rincón, Tren Valencia, Asprilla, Leonel Álvarez, Andrés Escobar… At that time, Colombia could afford to have De Ávila, Valenciano and Aristizábal on the bench. Less prolific winds are blowing now. We always say it: neither penicillin nor ibuprofen nor Redoxon, the perfect remedy for the soul is winning. And this selection by Lorenzo heals, restores.

last tango

JORGE BARRAZA

For the time

@JorgeBarrazaOK

More sports news