Óscar Cortés saved Colombia’s unbeaten record and secured first place in the World Cup

When the team does not appear, the individualities return to rescue theThe Colombian U-20 team, which, with many shadows and some lights, secured first place in group C of the World Cup in Argentinaay remained undefeated in replacement time, thanks to a genius by Óscar Cortés.

Colombia finished with seven points and Cortés’ agonizing goal left his rival out of the World Cup: the Africans were last, with two points. The other qualifier was Israel, who beat Japan 2-1, who is waiting to see if it is enough to enter as one of the best third parties.

Héctor Cárdenas, the Colombian coach, wanted to keep some pieces thinking about the round of 16: one of the changes was logical: the departure of Edwin Ocampo, beaten before the game against Japan. But he also kept Fernando Álvarez, a central defender; Jorge Cabezas Hurtado, a forward, and Yaser Asprilla, the figure of the team.

Colombia did not have a good first half and found a familiar scene in this World Cup. He started losing again and Luis Marquínes was a figure again.

He had nothing to do with the goal, which was born from a very serious mistake by Kevin Mantilla, who wanted to play from the edge of the area and ended up losing the ball to Mamadou Lamine Camara, who had time and space to define without problems: 1- 0 at 30 minutes.

Before that, Tomás Ángel, who was the starting number 9, missed two goals: one in a crossed shot and in the other, one-on-one and with the goalkeeper at a disadvantage: he threw it wide. But it could also have been worse for Colombia: Camara himself hit a shot off the post and there were two saves by Marquines.

Despite the loss, Cárdenas took it in stride. He maintained, from the outset, the same team for the second half and then, after 12 minutes, he took Puerta out to take care of him from a yellow card that would take him out of the round of 16, in a game in which, anyway, he did not have the same brilliance : He was replaced by Jhon Vélez.

The worrying thing for Colombia is that, this time, from the middle onwards, the team faded little by little, with a game without much participation by Óscar Cortés, with a Castillo Manyoma that missed the clearest of the team in the second stage and with a very weak response from those who came from the bench.

First, Cárdenas took out Manyoma and Jhojan Torres and risked with Cabezas Hurtado and Juan Castilla. For this he delayed Angel. And then, the Nacional player left the field and Miguel Monsalve entered, for the very long replacement time. They gave 10 minutes.

But the lamp was lit in those minutes. And Castilla left Cortés hand in hand so that the Millonarios player finished brilliantly and saved the undefeated Colombian in the World Cup.