There is a team in yellow playing some glorious football this World Cup. And it is not Brazil…yet. Columbia has lit up the tournament with some truly eye catching, adventurous football. Jose Pekerman, one of the most progressive coaches in world football, has fashioned a pulsating attacking side, which is wonderfully easy on the eye. Yesterday, Columbia eased past Uruguay 2-0, to make it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time in their history. And given this current crop of young players, surely this won’t be the last. In a competition lit by the exploits of Neymar, Messi, Muller and Robben… young James Rodrigues playing his first World Cup, put them all in the shade with a sublime moment of skill, which brought back memories of the impudence of a seventeen year old Pele in 1958. With the game needing a goal, He chanced upon a high ball just outside the Uruguayan penalty area, with his back to the opposition’s net. After taking a quick look to ascertain where the goalkeeper was, he turned around and struck a crisp volley, which rocketed past Muslera, rendering a moment of art that deserves a permanent place, in the museum of the greatest moments ever at the World Cup. And yet to be fair, this Columbian side is not just about one brilliant young man. Denied the presence of Radamel Falcao, their biggest pre-tournament star, there is quality all around the pitch in a Columbian jersey. There is the wily legend Yepes marshaling the defense, aided by the resolute Zapata. Add to that Juan Cuadrado superbly pulling strings in the midfield, and Martinez and Gutierrez constituting a highly mobile front line. The second goal was an exquisite piece of team work, which Rodrigues found himself at the end of. He tapped in a superbly weighted layoff from Cuadrado, to record his second goal of the match, and the fifth of the tournament, going clear of the rest of the Golden Boot pack. Much as Uruguay tried, they were outclassed. Missing the bite of Suarez (literally and metaphorically) Cavani was left foraging a lone battle at most times. Diego Forlan sadly walked into the World Cup sunset, with a night to forget; though we will all nonetheless forgive him, for the sumptuous memories. The team in blue did threaten a bit more in the second half, but there seemed to be a lack of conviction in their efforts. The Uruguayan Rodrigues (Christian by name) scorched the Columbian keeper Ospina’s hands once with a superb long range effort. Maxi Pereira (the bald and buccaneering right back) found himself at the end of a fortunate bounce, only to shoot straight into the keeper. And Cavani scuffed a low shot goal wards. But in the end Columbia were deserving winners. And like the effervescence of their coffee, this is a side which is going to give many opponents a sleepless night. Brazil, the original team in yellow, lies next.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 04:41:44 +0000
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