Néstor Lorenzo, before Colombia vs. Panama in the Copa América: ‘We have to go for the top, aim for the sun’

NÉstor Lorenzo, the coach of the Colombian National Team, continues to look at Panama with great respect, the rival against which, this Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, they will seek passage to the semifinals of the Copa América.

The Argentine coach continues to avoid the favouritism that the press gives to the team and does not trust Panama, from whom he expects a very similar approach to that given to Costa Rica in the group stage.

“We have seen that Panama can make quick transitions. We will try to control the game, but there will be moments that will put us in a difficult position. I don’t know what the coach will do, we have to adapt to how it turns out. I think that’s what’s difficult about the match,” Lorenzo declared.

“Panama’s game affects us when we can’t find the ball and control the game. It’s a system similar to Costa Rica’s, but with more duels. They are strong physically and that’s what we must try to neutralize,” insisted the coach.

Lorenzo also highlighted the work of the Dane Thomas Christensen with Panama. “Since this coach has been in charge, Panama has been organized and has found a style that has it where it is. I don’t know if it is a European game, a Spanish school or a South American style, but he knows what he is playing and he is showing it,” he explained.

Lorenzo keeps the secret: he did not reveal the replacement of Jefferson LErma

Lorenzo did not want to reveal who will replace Jéfferson Lerma, who was absent from Saturday’s match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

“Lerma’s natural replacements are Uribe and Castaño, so the replacement will come from them. We haven’t had the technical talk yet, the team is more or less on track, but they don’t know that, we’ll tell them first,” he said.

Lorenzo defended Rafael Santos Borré, who missed an empty-net goal that could have given him the victory against Brazil. “Let’s not exaggerate, he missed a goal, a difficult ball came to him and he couldn’t put it in, everything he gives to the team is valuable,” he insisted.

Did Colombia practice penalty kicks?

The coach does not trust Panama and, when asked if they had practiced penalty kicks, he replied: “We have to be prepared. Football has no logic, the one who deserves to win does not always win, the one who kicks the most at goal, the one who plays the best. To win, a priori, you have to play better than your opponent and shoot more at goal, have a predominance, dominate the opponent from the game. Afterwards, God will tell. We have practiced, logic does not exist, we have to prepare ourselves with everything against any rival.”

Regarding the possible favoritism, Lorenzo explained: “It is not that we put it there, it is logical that a person who stands in front of a team has to tell you that you have a barbaric capacity. We have to go to the top, aim for the sun, we are on that path, growing every day for two years and wanting to continue growing for the process, for what is coming and hopefully get into the top four in America.” And he added: “We are going game by game, with the same professionalism and style. We will see how far the game allows us.”

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