The qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup are almost in the history books now as several more nations from across the globe sealed their places in November’s tournament in Qatar.
There was plenty at stake across all continents so it is time to dive straight in and see how the action unfolded on what is possibly international football’s greatest week, time after time.
AFC
Group A on the final stages in Asia had little left to be decided with Iran and South Korea having already booked their spot in the previous set of fixtures.
Instead it was all about the battle for third place and the play-off that comes with it. Iraq gave themselves a lifeline with a 1-0 victory over direct rivals the United Arab Emirates to leave the visitor’s hopes hanging in the balance.
However Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side recovered to claim a huge 1-0 victory over South Korea in the final game while Iraq could only draw with Syria to seal their fate.
In Group B, Japan ensured they would be back for a seventh consecutive World Cup appearance after defeating Australia 2-0 in Sydney. This also meant that Saudi Arabia qualified without having to kick a ball.
The Saudis rubbed salt into the Aussie wounds by winning 1-0 in Jeddah in the final group game.
Australia will now have to settle for the play-offs. They will face the UAE in a single game shootout in Doha on June 7th with the winner facing Peru for a chance to reach the finals.
CAF
Africa had probably the most exciting games on paper with a host of big nations set to do battle. This also shows how the continent will benefit when the tournament expands in 2026. So many talented African footballers will miss out once more in Qatar.
Which brings us to Egypt and Mohamed Salah. The repeat of the AFCON final with Senegal was as tight as you might have expected with the Pharaohs winning 1-0 in Cairo before the African champions responded with a 1-0 victory of their own in Dakar.
Salah went on to miss in the penalty shootout with Sadio Mane once more scoring the winning kick to ensure it was double delight for the Lions of Teranga.
There was further late drama between Algeria and Cameroon. Once again both games finished 1-0 to either side therefore extra-time would be required. Ahmed Touba thought he had won it for Algeria only for Lyon’s Karl Toko Ekambi to score a crucial away goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to send Cameroon through.
There were shocking scenes in Abuja as supporters stormed the pitch following Ghana’s away goal victory over bitter rivals Nigeria. Thomas Partey grabbed the all-important goal before William Troost-Ekong equalised with a penalty. But it was not to be for the Nigerians, who fail to qualify for the first time since 2006.
Morocco were the only side to really cut loose over the past week as they swept past DR Congo 5-2 on aggregate. It was honours even in Kinshasa for the first leg before the Atlas Lions stormed to victory in Casablanca, with Achraf Hakimi among the goalscorers.
Tunisia made it a North African double as they held their nerve to edge past Mali and deny Les Aiges a debut appearance. Moussa Sissako’s own goal was all that could separate the two sides over 180 minutes.
CONCACAF
CONCACAF is the only federation yet to conclude at the time of writing but Canada rubber stamped a first appearance since 1986 with a 4-0 victory over Jamaica in Toronto to spark joyous scenes.
Mexico and the USA look set the join Les Rouges barring some incredibly unlikely results on the final day.
Costa Rica look likely to take the play-off spot and they will face New Zealand as Los Ticos look to qualify for a third straight tournament.
CONMEBOL
Ecuador will be back at the World Cup despite only taking one point from their final two games. La Tri have enjoyed a good campaign and can now look forward to returning to the world stage for the first time since 2014.
They will be joined by Uruguay after Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s goal clinched a 1-0 victory over Peru to ensure a positive end to a difficult campaign.
This meant that the Peruvians were in control of fifth place going into the final game but Colombia and Chile were ready and waiting to take advantage of any slip ups.
Unfortunately for Chile it was the end of an era as they fell 2-0 at home to Uruguay while Colombia defeated Venezuela 1-0 to do their part.
It would be Peru’s day however as goals from Gianluca Lapadula and Yoshimar Yotun sealed a play-off spot against either the UAE or Australia in June.
OFC
New Zealand will once more represent Oceania in the playoffs after coming through a mini tournament in Qatar.
Vanuatu and the Cook Islands had to cancel games due to Covid which meant Tahiti and the Soloman Islands progressed to the semi-finals.
New Zealand coasted through their group and were joined in the final four by Papua New Guinea.
A Liberato Cacace goal saw the All Whites edge past Tahiti in the semi-final while the Soloman Islands saw off Papua New Guinea by three goals to two.
There would be no fairytale in the final however as Chris Wood helped Danny Hay’s side to a 5-0 victory and set up a likely play-off with Costa Rica in June.
UEFA
A brace from Gareth Bale inspired Wales to a 2-1 victory over Austria to leave Robert Page’s side just one game away from a first World Cup appearance since 1958.
They will host the winners of the Scotland and Ukraine match which will have to be rearranged for a later date.
Elsewhere Poland made the most of receiving a bye straight through to the final by defeating Sweden in Warsaw to make it back to back qualifications.
Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski scored to see off the Swedes, who edged out the Czech Republic in extra-time in Solna.
Arguably the biggest shock of the window saw North Macedonia stun European champions Italy 1-0 in Palermo to ensure the Italians missed a second consecutive World Cup.
The four times winner will have gone 20 years without a knockout match by the time the next tournament rolls around in 2026.
The reward for North Macedonia was a trip to Porto after Portugal defeated Turkey 3-1 in the semi-final.
The fairytale run would not have the ultimate conclusion however as Bruno Fernandes grabbed a brace to send the hosts through and ensure Cristiano Ronaldo will have the chance to play in a fifth World Cup.
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In what was a catch-up window due to previous postponements because of the pandemic, several teams made the most of the winter action and took major steps towards participation in November’s World Cup.
None were more successful than Iran and South Korea, who became the 14th and 15th nations to qualify for the showcase event.
In CONCACAF, it was Canada who had the most successful window, claiming nine points to leave them on the brink of just a second-ever World Cup appearance.
Meanwhile in South America, it was more of a case of eliminations as what was a ten-team league is now ultimately down to five with Brazil and Argentina already having qualified and Paraguay, Bolivia and Venezuela all now out of contention.
Let us begin in Asia as we take a look back on another thrilling week of action.
AFC
It was in Tehran that Iran confirmed their qualification for a third consecutive World Cup. Porto forward Mehdi Taremi scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Iraq to seal another finals appearance for Team Melli.
South Korea picked up a 1-0 win over Lebanon to leave themselves nicely poised before the second game of the window.
The UAE kept the South Korean’s honest with a 2-0 win at home to Syria to keep their own faint hopes alive.
Those hopes would be dashed just five days later however as South Korea booked their finals place with a 2-0 win over Syria in Dubai and maintains their record of appearing at every World Cup since 1986. Iran’s 1-0 triumph over the UAE rendered the result immaterial anyway as the Emirates could now no longer qualify automatically.
The Syrians are the only team in the group officially eliminated and responded by sacking coach Valeriu Tita. Iraq did similar, dismissing Serbian manager Zeljko Petrovic. They still hold faint hopes of a play-off despite failing to win a game so far. They must beat the UAE in their next game in March to stand any chance.
Over in Group B, there is a little bit more tension with none of the sides earning automatic qualification thus far. Matchday seven saw the top three all claim home victories over the lesser lights in the group with Australia thrashing Vietnam 4-0, Japan seeing off China 2-0 and leaders Saudi Arabia earning a narrow 1-0 win over Oman.
Matchday eight proved to be much more decisive, however. Takumi Minamino was on the scoresheet as Japan closed to the gap to within a point of the Saudis with a 2-0 home win.
This left the door open for Australia to join the Japanese and leave a one-point gap between all three sides. Graham Arnold’s men will be kicking themselves however for conceding a late equaliser to Oman in Muscat that saw two precious points dropped.
Australia will now need to beat Japan at home next up and most likely do the same in Saudi Arabia if they are to qualify without the need for a play-off. They do have that option to fall back on though as Oman are now eliminated.
Vietnam also picked up their first win of the campaign as they secured a 3-1 victory over China 3-1 in Hanoi.
CONCACAF
Canada are now just one win away from a first World Cup appearance since 1986 following three victories in a brilliant week.
‘Les Rouges’ began the window by defeating winless Honduras thanks to a goal from star striker Jonathan David. The traditional big two of the USA and Mexico kept up the pressure with wins over El Salvador and Jamaica respectively.
Bryan Ruiz grabbed the winner as Costa Rica aimed to move closer to a play-off spot by defeating Panama.
It would be in matchday 10 where John Herdman’s Canadian side would take the biggest strides. An early Cyle Larin goal sent them on their way to a vital 2-0 victory over the USA to leave the nation ecstatic and leave fans of the USMNT enraged.
Panama got back on track by edging out Jamaica while El Salvador piled the misery on Honduras with a 2-0 win.
Costa Rica held Mexico to a crucial goalless draw in an empty Azteca Stadium to claim what could be a huge point.
In the final matchday of the break, Canada’s match in San Salvador almost did not go ahead due to the El Salvador players threatening to strike over unpaid bonuses. The strike was averted and David claimed another goal to make it a memorable week for the Canadians.
It was also memorable for slightly different reasons in Minnesota as the USA claimed a 3-0 victory over Honduras in freezing conditions. Two Honduran players had to be treated for hypothermia while fans saw their beers freeze in the stadium. Perhaps more thinking is required for the federation next time when determining where to stage the games.
Raul Jimenez scored a penalty as Mexico beat Panama while Joel Campbell scored the only goal in Costa Rica’s victory in Jamaica. ‘Los Ticos’ are now just a point behind Panama following an excellent window as they chase a play-off match with the best team from Oceania.
For Canada, victory over the Costa Ricans in March will bring about the moment they have been waiting 36 years for. The USA and Mexico look poised to join them while it appears to be a straight shootout between Panama and Costa Rica.
CONMEBOL
Onto South America, where nobody has yet joined Brazil and Argentina but there were some eliminations taken care of.
Ecuador were probably the biggest victors of the window, guaranteeing themselves at least a play-off spot against the play-off winners from Asia thanks to two draws.
A bad-tempered clash with Brazil ended in a 1-1 draw while fellow confirmed finalists Argentina claimed a 2-1 triumph in Chile.
Edison Flores grabbed a vital late winner as Peru claimed a massive 1-0 win in Colombia to go fourth. Uruguay would keep the pressure on with a 1-0 win in Paraguay.
Salomon Rondon notched a hat-trick as Venezuela prolonged Bolivia’s wait for a first away victory since 1994 in the qualifiers.
It was all to play for then going into the second match of the window but this is where some dreams were sadly ended.
Philippe Coutinho scored a cracking goal as Brazil thrashed Paraguay 4-0 to end their hopes while Chile won 3-2 in Bolivia to leave Bolivia waiting another four years for an appearance on the biggest stage.
Luis Suarez became the top goalscorer in CONMEBOL qualifying history in Uruguay’s 4-1 win over Venezuela to ensure another elimination for the visitors. The hosts meanwhile stole a march on Peru and climbed into the automatic places following the Peruvian’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador.
The draw did at least deny Ecuador automatic qualification for now.
Lautaro Martinez scored the winner for Argentina which put a huge dent to Colombia’s chances of a third consecutive World Cup appearance.
It is all set up for a dramatic two matchdays in March as we find out who will join the traditional giants. Ecuador only need a win in Paraguay in their next game to ensure they join them. There are sure to be more twists and turns to come.
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Luis Diaz has been linked with Premier League clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in the January transfer window.
Here is what you need to know about the forward and how he compares to his potential counterparts.
Facts and Attributes
The 25-year-old currently plays his football in Portugal for FC Porto and has been there since the 2019/20 season after moving over from his home country Colombia.
Diaz usually operates on the left side of the attack, using his pace and effective dribbling to terrorise defenders. He is fairly lean, having previously suffered from malnutrition, but uses this to his advantage when taking on his opposition.
So far this season, Diaz has scored 14 goals and assisted his teammates four times in 18 league appearances. He has also netted two goals in the Champions League, both of them coming in fixtures against AC Milan, which was enough to secure a Europa League spot in one of the toughest groups in the competition.
Copa America
Before his dazzling display this season, Diaz had a special campaign for Colombia in last summer’s Copa America.
After a slow start, including a red card in their second game, Diaz kicked into gear after he scored an audacious bicycle kick against finalists Brazil.
In their semi-final against Argentina, the winger was pivotal in taking the game to penalties. He scored the equaliser in the game and proved too much for right-back, Nahuel Molina, to deal with as he was subsequently substituted at half-time.
His brace in the third-place play-off against Peru, which included a 94th-minute winner, helped Colombia to their joint-best finish in the competition since 2001. He also finished joint top-scorer in the tournament alongside Lionel Messi.
Comparison to Premier League wingers
Diaz has drawn a lot of comparisons to Premier League wingers like Heung-Min Son, Mohamed Salah, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka.
The Columbian forward averages more goals per 90 than the aforementioned players but Salah beats Diaz when total goal contributions are involved. Liverpool’s number 11 is also the only player to average more shots per 90 than the FC Porto forward but both Sterling (45.7%) and Son (43.2%) hit the target more often than Diaz (41.9%).
When it comes to dribbling, Diaz does not disappoint. He has a higher percentage of successful dribbles than his counterparts and has dribbled past more players too.
Only Sterling (84.7%) has a higher pass completion rate than Diaz (82%) when considering all distances. Diaz has completed the most long ball passes out of all the players but this is with a smaller sample size. He also creates more key passes (2.2) per game than Salah (1.85) and Son (1.88), who come closest to him.
It has been reported that Tottenham have offered £50 million for the winger but Porto remain persistent that any interested clubs should pay the £67 million release clause. Both Manchester clubs have also been linked with Diaz along with Liverpool.
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Radamel Falcao continued his brilliant start to life at Rayo Vallecano as his goals helped his side achieve wins over Athletic Bilbao and Cadiz.
The Columbian scored the winning goal in both of these games including one in the 96th minute to shock Bilbao.
Falcao was brought on with 15 minutes to go against Los Leones in the search of finding a winner for Vallecano with the game level at 1-1 after Pathe Ciss’ own goal gave the hosts an equaliser in the 33rd minute
Former Manchester United winger Bebe then took the responsibility of taking the last-minute free-kick. His cross was sent to the back post as Falcao lost his marker and headed home a simple chance, sparking a fantastic team celebration.
Although he was on the pitch for a short amount of time, the forward completed all of his passes and won 100% of his ground and aerial duels.
After scoring in his first two games for his new club, Falcao was chosen to start against Cadiz ahead of Randy Nteka.
The 35-year-old repaid the faith shown by his manager as he scored just before half-time to put Los Franjirrojos 2-1 ahead at the break.
Ivan Balliu ran down to the touchline before sending a low cross into the forward, who instinctively slotted the ball home at the near post. Despite his lack of pace at this stage in his career, his experience and knowledge led to him getting to the cross before both defender and goalkeeper as he gave his side the lead.
The forward had a pass accuracy of 66.7% against Cadiz and won four of his nine duels as well as winning three free-kicks for his team.
El Tigre has now scored in three consecutive games as Vallecano are currently on a three-game winning streak and a five-game unbeaten run after losing their opening two fixtures.
Vallecano sit fifth in the La Liga table and face ninth place Osasuna in their final fixture before the international break.
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]]>The 2021 edition of the Copa America came to an end this weekend as Argentina beat Brazil to lift the trophy.
A brilliant dinked finish from Angel di Maria denied the Brazilians from retaining the title they won in 2019 and ended an entertaining tournament in style.
Here are some of the best moments and individual achievements from past the month of action.
Player of the tournament – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Although many would have predicted the 34-year-old to get this prize, Messi never fails to amaze fans with his ability. He finished as the tournament’s top goal scorer (4) and top assist provider (5) on his way to lifting his first trophy for his country.
The Barcelona winger broke six Copa America records during this tournament including most assists provided in a single tournament and most man of the match awards in a single tournament (4). He also tied Sergio Livingstone’s record of most Copa America games played, making 34 appearances in the competition’s history.
His performances have put him in a strong position to win this year’s Ballon d’Or after a very impressive first half of the year.
Young player of the tournament – Luis Diaz (Colombia)
His performance against Argentina was vital in taking the game to penalties as not only did he score the equaliser but his dribbling and ball retention frustrated the opponents in a Neymar-like display.
His competition ended on a high as his brace against Peru, which included a 94th-minute winner, secured a third-place finish for Colombia in the tournament, their joint-best finish since winning the title in 2001. His two goals in this game put him level on goal with top-scorer Messi.
Game of the tournament- Peru vs Paraguay
Gustavo Gomez opened the scoring for Paraguay before scoring an own goal to tie up the game. His game was then over before half-time as he picked up two yellow cards in quick succession, capping off a thrilling first half. The second 45 had three goals, including a 90th-minute equaliser, and another red card.
The shootout was won 4-3 by Peru as five of the spot-kicks were missed or saved before St. Etienne defender Miguel Trauco scored the winning penalty.
Goal of the tournament – Lucas Paqueta (Brazil)
There were a lot of contenders for the goal of the tournament such as the previously mentioned bicycle kick by Luis Diaz and Messi’s freekick against Chile.
Lucas Paqueta’s goal against Peru might have been a simple finish but the skill from Neymar to create the chance was nothing short of remarkable.
Throughout the game, both Ligue 1 stars were combining well with flair, which proved difficult to stop and easy to watch. Neymar’s close control and dribbling ability was on show as he retained the ball despite being marked by three players before nutmegging the Peruvian defender and finding Paqueta wide open in the box. It was Brazilian flair in full flow.
Best moments
There were two great moments for fans to watch after the final whistle blew at the Maracana and Albiceleste secured the title.
The first was the reaction from the Argentine player when the whistle blew as they all made their way to an emotional Messi. It was the first time their captain won a trophy for his country and it was clear they knew how important it was for him as they all sprinted towards him.
In contrast, Neymar was heartbroken at full-time. He was not in the squad when Brazil won the competition in 2019 and this was his opportunity to win it on home soil. Messi and Neymar embraced in a long hug during celebrations the pair exchanged words, with the former knowing all too well how the Brazilian felt.
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]]>Five Everton players are away on international duty as the rest of the squad prepare to start pre-season next week.
Jordan Pickford (England), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (England) and Lucas Digne (France) have made the last 16 of the delayed Euro 2020. Whilst Richarlison (Brazil) and Yerry Mina (Colombia) have qualified for the quarter-finals of Copa America.
The club’s non-international players are expected to return to training on July 5th with the Toffees still managerless following Carlo Ancelotti’s sudden departure four weeks ago.
Pickford aiming to bring football home
The shot-stopper has played an important part in helping England progress to the last 16 of Euro 2020 after finishing top of Group D.
The Three Lions now face rivals Germany at Wembley on Tuesday as Gareth Southgate hopes to avoid a second straight Euro’s last 16 departure.
In their latest win, Pickford became the first England goalkeeper since Gordon Banks (1966) to keep three clean sheets in the group stages of a major tournament, and the 27-year-old will be hoping to continue his impressive form between the sticks.
Pickford has not conceded in his last 450 minutes of international football, and the number one will be hoping to share tournament success with Calvert-Lewin who is also in the England squad.
The striker has only made one appearance in the tournament so far, which was a rather short two-minute cameo in England’s opening match win against Croatia.
If called upon, Calvert-Lewin will be hoping to emulate his goal scoring form for Everton which saw the number nine score 21 goals in all competitions.
Ben Godfrey made his senior debut in England’s pre-Euro’s friendlies, however, the centre-back wasn’t included in the final 26-man squad.
Injury ends Digne’s tournament
After picking up a muscle injury in France’s 2-2 draw with Portugal last week, Digne looks set to be out for the rest of the European Championships.
The left-back was introduced at half-time, but he was forced off just a couple of minutes after the restart with what Didier Deschamps described as a complicated injury.
Digne played the full 90 minutes in his side’s 1-1 draw with Hungary in matchday two, but it looks certain he won’t play any more minutes.
After topping Group F, France will take on Switzerland in Bucharest on Monday as they aim to win a second successive major tournament.
Richarlison’s Copa America defence
In South America, Richarlison has been enjoying a successful start to Brazil’s Copa America defence.
Brazil have confirmed their place in the quarter-finals with a game remaining after wins against Venezuela, Peru and Colombia saw them top Group B.
Richarlison has started two of their three games, and against Peru, he came off the bench to score and assist in a 4-0 win.
The forward also started two of Brazil’s World Cup qualification matches prior to the tournament, in which he opened the scoring in a 2-0 win over Ecuador.
Mina hoping to re-write history with Colombia
Similarly to Richarlison, Mina’s Colombia have also qualified for the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The centre-back has played every minute in the tournament so far, and he is hoping to re-write history by winning what would be Colombia’s first Copa America in 10 years.
Their tournament started off with a victory but since then Colombia has drawn once and lost twice- one of those a 2-1 defeat to Peru in which Mina was unfortunate to score an own goal.
However, Everton’s No.13 was on target at the right end in Colombia’s 3-0 win over Peru in the World Cup Qualifiers ahead of the Copa America.
Mina’s Everton and Colombia teammate, James Rodriguez was ruled out of the tournament by his national team doctors who declared he had failed to overcome a calf problem.
The playmaker, who only featured once in Everton’s last six games, is rumoured to be leaving the club this summer after one season at Goodison Park.
Rodriguez recorded 15 goal contributions in all competitions this season, but following the exit of Ancelotti, it appears the Colombian’s agent, Jorge Mendes, wants his star to do the same.
Pre-season plans:
Everton’s non-international players have one final week off before they are expected to return for pre-season.
The international players will be given some extra time off before they join the rest of the squad for the Florida Cup which starts on July 25th.
Everton’s only other scheduled friendly is against Manchester United at Old Trafford the week before the season starts.
The Toffees start their Premier League campaign off at home to Southampton on August 14th.
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]]>Prost Amerika is proud to announce the launch of Prost International this week.
From November 1 onwards, the new partner site will contain stories and articles from around the world including our EPL, Budesliga, La Liga and UEFA Nations League coverage.
We have built a team of correspondents in England to cover the game there, led by Editor-in-Chief Dylan Walsh and Senior Editor Ryan Conway. They and others have EPL accreditation to cover games from the stadia.
Ryan will also cover affairs in Northern England assisted by Cascadia head coach James Nichols while Dylan will oversee our Southern coverage. Joining them are Leanne Prescott, Jacob Tanswell, Tom Hardy, Max Hall, Jimmy Whitehead and Brandon Prangell.
Simon Moyse will cover the EFL and Paul Cox will cover Spanish football from Valencia. Lisa Leroux will write about French football.
Moving over from Prost Amerika will be Brian Saunders Bundesliga coverage, experienced editor Dan Gaichas of Windy City Soccer, Maryland’s Renny Thomas and occasionally on all matters Newcastle, Prost Amerika Editor Sean Maslin.
In Scotland, Mark Szczuka and Roddy Speirs will cover the national teams, male and female. Further afield, Chris Rodger will report on football in Korea and Paul McNeela is covering Australia’s A-League.
Leading columnist Richard Fleming will write every second Monday on the big issues affecting world football and Cascadia top scorer and BBC Alba host Calum Ferguson will also provide his thoughts.
We will also welcome a variety of contributions from fans and occasional writers around the world.
Peter Moore will provide his weekly rugby column and there will be growing coverage of other sports.
We will also have two podcasts provided by Full Time Podcast which comes out on Tuesdays and Playmakers FC which will appear twice a week. Sunday is their EPL show while Thursday will cover Europe and the EFL.
Prost Amerika will continue to cover MLS, NWSL and the US international teams as well as football in Mexico and Canada.
So please, check out Prost International and enjoy the sport.
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Johan Mojica, David Ospina and Davinson Sanchez are joyful after the Colombia win
Photo Getty courtesy of FIFA.com
DAY 15 – JUNE 28. The Group Stage ends with a whimper and African drought
The group stages ended today after 48 matches in eight groups. Only three sides; Belgium, Uruguay and Cratia won all three games. Only Egypt and Panama lost all three with the Canal Men finishing in last place with the worst goal difference.
Every team scored at least one goal. Only Uruguay kept three clean sheets. Of the 16 teams qualified, ten are from Europe, four from South America with Mexico and Japan making up the 16. All five African sides are eliminated.
The last day had far less drama than the previous one. In Group H, it was already confirmed that Belgium and England would qualify. In Group G, Poland were already out so it was to from three. In the end, it was Colombia and Japan who emerged, the latter only ahead of Senegal on the Fair Play tiebreaker.
Poland 1 : 0 Japan
Southampton’s Jan Bednarek scored the only goal in the 59th minute to at least give Poland their first points of a disappointing tournament. Japan were saved from elimination by that Colombia goal in the other game. They advance on Fair Play points and will play Belgium at the Rostov Arena in Rostov-on-Don on July 2nd.
Colombia 1 : 0 Senegal
Barcelona’s Yerry Mina scored the winner with a header from a corner, the second of the tournament for the centre half. Senegal had less of the ball but were probably the better side. Sadly for Colombia, James Rodriguez was taken off injured in the first half and the country will hold its breath on his fitness for the next game. His replacement Luis Muriel missed several chances. Colombia now face England on July 3rd at the Otkrytie Arena in Moscow.
England 0 : 1 Belgium
Real Sociedad’s Adnan Januzaj scored the only goal of the game which secured a match with Japan for the Red Devils. The sides made 17 changes overall but the match understandably never really caught fire. England will play Colombia who are sweating on the fitness of James.
Panama 1 : 2 Tunisia
The Carthage Eagles came back from a half time deficit to record just Africa’s third win of the Finals against the statistically worst side in the Cup. Panama didn’t actually manage a goal. Their opener was an own goal scored by Yassine Meriah in the 33rd minute. After the interval Fakhreddine Ben Youssef (51′) and Wahbi Khazri (66′) secured the win for Tunisia.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images/FIFA
Japan 2-Colombia 1
An unpredictable 2018 World Cup took another wild turn on Tuesday in Saransk, Russia. Despite being the underdog and facing a tournament dark horse in Colombia Japan showed that they were not to be taken lightly, defeating the South American giants 2-1 to start Group H.
It didn’t take long for the most pivotal point in the match to happen. In just the third minute of the match Colombia was dealt a crushing blow when defender Carlos Sanchez opted to use his hand to deflect an incoming shot from Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa. Sanchez was sent off for his infraction and Kagawa converted on the ensuing penalty kick.
Using their experience in the midfield and playing with a man advantage, Japan dominated possession through the majority of the first half. Led by Kagawa and Makato Hasebe the Samurai Blue forced Colombia’s midfielders to chase, opening up space for their attack to get several quality shots on target. In the 15th minute, Kagawa found a surging Takashi Inui who hit a low chance far-post. Although Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina was not able to get a handle on it neither were his Japanese teammates to finish it off.
Colombia did create some chances of their own to get things level. At about the half hour mark, Colombia manager Jose Pekerman brought on midfielder Wilmar Barrios for Juan Cuadrado and moved Radmael Falcao up top. Falcao nearly made it 1-1 minutes later after ripping a shot from the edge of the eighteen yard box. However, Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima made the diving stop and ended the scoring chance.
Japan weren’t as fortunate in the 38th minute. After a controversial free kick was awarded in Colombia’s favor, Colombia midfielder Juan Quintero hit a low driving shot under the Japanese wall and past Kawashima to make things level. The goal was Quintero’s third for Colombia.
In the second half Japan began to assert itself more on the attack as the tired legs of Colombia began to show. In the 73rd minute they found the match-winner after Yuya Osako headed home a corner kick taken by substitute Keisuke Honda. The goal was Osako’s eighth for the Japanese national team.
While Colombia did threaten late, thanks in large part to the effort of substitute James Rodriguez, there were unable to solve the Japanese defense.
With the win, Japan (1-0-0, 3 points) not only move to the top of Group H but also earn the Asian Football Confederation’s first-ever win in a World Cup against a side from CONMEBOL. They will hope to continue their winning ways on Sunday against Senegal.
As for Colombia (0-1-0, 0 points) the loss doesn’t end their ambitions of making the knockout rounds but it certainly damages them. They will hope for better luck on Sunday when they face Poland.
Colombia- David Ospina, Oscar Murillo, Davinson Sanchez, Johan Mojica, Santiago Arias, Juan Quintero (James Rodriguez 59′), Carlos Sanchez, Jefferson Lema, Radmael Falcao, Jose Izquierdo (Carlos Bacca 70′), and Juan Cuadrado (Wilmar Barrios 31′)
Goal- Quintero (39′)
Yellow Cards- Barrios (66′) and Rodriguez (84′)
Japan- Eiji Kawashima , Gen Shoji, Maya Yoshida, Yuto Nagamoto, Hiroki Sakai, Shinji Kagawa (Keisuke Honda 70′), Makoto Hasebe, Gaku Shibasaki (Hotaru Yamaguchi 80′), Yuya Osako (Shinji Okazaki 85′), Takashi Inui, and Genki Haraguchi
Goals-Kagawa (6′) and Osako (73′)
Yellow Card- Kawashima (84′)
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Santa Clara, CA — USA vs. Colombia; COPA America
Jose Pekerman is in his second World Cup with Colombia which is stability that the national team has not experienced since their golden era of the 1990s.
Every team has its key players and each has its weakness’. For the Coffee Growers this is a team full of experience and one that can meet expectations.
Santa Clara, CA — USA vs. Colombia; COPA America
Hope #1: That a fully functional James Rodriguez is ready to go to the next level.
Last tournament the Colombian captain was not available for selection and Rodriguez was the star that shone brightly. The glimmer faded while at Real Madrid as for him to flourish he needs a free role to show off his skills. His move to Bayern Munich playing with stars like Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, and Franck Ribery allowed a more free role to get that World Cup form back.
For Colombia to get out of the group phase JR needs to shine bright like the star he is.
Hope #2: That Radamel Falcao will not be a burden.
Falcao has been the captain of Colombia for a long while. He has also been recognized as one of the best in his position. His back to goal play is not one that creates at all and he is absolutely reliant on the service provided to him. If he gets that as the man up top he will score and that will relax pressure on the other leaders.
Hope #3: That David Ospina plays to his abilities.
Until recent years Ospina was looked at as the best talented goalkeeper from South America, with little competition. His drop in the roster at his club Arsenal in England has shaken his confidence. A strong performance will mean the difference in a group stage exit and possible semifinal run. Confidence in the man between the posts give belief to everyone on the pitch and they can focus on their jobs.
The Big Fear: That if they do not grab three points against Japan then they are out.
If Colombia does not beat Japan in the first game they will go home early. Japan is a shadow of the team that has dominated Asia for years. If the attack sputters, and it did during qualification, then the young defense will be relied on and under the pressure that could prove disastrous.
Let me be clear not Andres Escobar disastrous but if only a draw in match one getting points against Senegal and Poland, each with attacking superstars, there is no lost hope. If Japan, who fired their coach just a few months ago, win then Colombia is going uphill with their two most difficult opponents of the campaign left to play.
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