Colombia closed the worst performance in its entire history in Conmebol tournaments this Thursday, when they lost 2-0 against Bolivia on the last date of the round-robin phase of the Venezuelan Olympic Qualifiers.
Never before had a national team finished a tournament without points and without scoring goals. Another team led by Héctor Cárdenas, the 2019 U-17, had already finished the South American with defeats in all games, but with four goals in favor.
Cárdenas's continuity, after a new and painful failure, was called into question. However, the players remaining in Venezuela, unusually, appeared at the post-match press conference.
“We are giving the message here, we all come in the presence of what the 'profess' has taught us, I believe that we are all here, because of the work that he has shown us, he trusted us to come and represent the country and we We have to support it in one way or another. All of us here are convinced that he is a great human being, he has a great staff and here we are supporting him and we will always continue to support him,” said Alejandro García, who took the spokesperson for the footballers.
It should be remembered that two players left the call after the mathematical elimination was sealed: Óscar Cortés, who was transferred from Lens in France to Glasgow Rangers in Scotland, and Carlos Andrés Gómez, who was injured and returned to his club, Real Salt Lake, of the MLS.
Héctor Cárdenas's explanations after a new failure
Surrounded by the entire team, Cárdenas analyzed what happened. “The balance is short and precise, we were not able to score a single goal, score a single point. From a statistical point of view it is not the best. Afterwards, the team's response, the intentions I will never reproach, because until today and for what is to come, they will continue to demonstrate that they have what they have and those who have represented us have had important personal and professional learning,” said the DT.
Cárdenas apologized for what happened and appreciated the support of the players. “It is a hard moment for all of them, but here we are standing up, with honor, with pain for our country because it is difficult after trying. The team is looking for a way and has been resilient during all these games, competing until the last moment, giving everything for their country and this is a learning experience for everyone. Excuses, a thousand apologies to our country, but we are sure that there is a lot of future and talent here. Football is about opportunities and we are all going to have them,” he stated.
Despite the two resounding failures with players from this same generation (no U-17 from 2019 was in the Pre-Olympic, despite being eligible due to age), Cárdenas considered that a good job has been done.
“Since 2018 when we arrived here, I always speak and once again I do, because it is part of showing the country what has been done, it is a generation that has been consolidating in its clubs, the 23 that arrived. Furthermore, the passage of 19 players through cycles in the senior team speaks well of the work,” the DT explained.
“What was reflected in this championship is opposite, but we can not only measure the results from obtaining titles, classifications, being an important argument. But in the projection of the FCF with them and the generations to come, it speaks of our work, that of each and every one of the technical bodies that has given their contribution in their categories,” he concluded.
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