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The heart of the ‘Tiger’ Radamel Falcao García, the one who never gives a lost ball, the one who is always there, pending any ball, any mistake, gave Colombia a draw that worked a lot, in a game that suffered a lot and that he saved with that goal in the second minute of replacement for 2-2, which leaves the National Team with four points in the tie, two from Argentina and Brazil and in the direct classification zone to Qatar 2022.
It was goal number 35 of Falcao with the National Team shirt, which confirms him as the top gunner in the team’s history. At 34, El Tigre already gives his contribution to find a place for another World Cup.
It was the prize for all the struggle that Colombia had, in a match that at the beginning seemed controlled, but not calm. From very early on, Colombia had taken advantage of a very good pressure to put itself in advantage. The mastermind of the goal was Stefan medina, who had the courage to anticipate and then the precision to put the ball in the Chilean area, where Jefferson Lerma He put his head in to beat Brayan Cortés, who at the last minute appeared as Chile’s starting goalkeeper to replace Gabriel Arias.
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But little by little, several factors appeared that began to unbalance the party in favor of Chile. The first, that Colombia fell into the rival’s game, allowed itself to be provoked and lost its concentration. Second, that one of the issues that seemed announced, the attack by the bands and especially by the right zone, was not well counteracted. Every time Chile attacked the Muriel and Mojica area it created danger. And, third, that James Rodríguez was very lost, imprecise, without regret in the game.
To complete, Colombia suffered its first penalty against because of the VAR, when Lerma ended up hitting Arturo vidal, something that Judge Darío Herrera did not notice, but those who were in front of the screens did. And so, the victim himself tied the game.
Also read: (For discussion: Colombia tied, but the goal was disallowed).
Stefan Medina’s injury ended up derailing Queiroz’s plan. Juan Guillermo Cuadrado finished as a right-back and his place in the middle was taken by Steven Alzate. Already before the game there was a novelty: the absence of Yerry Mina, with a new discomfort in the right thigh. Replaced it Jeison murillo. And all that ended up dislodging Colombia, which suffered a second goal against for two errors, one from Cuadrado for a bad rejection and another from goalkeeper Vargas, who went wrong and ended up receiving both Alexis Sanchez, that he found it in a carom.
The second half was pure vertigo, little pause and a long time of possession in the opposite field, but little clarity to reach the goal of Cortés. Queiroz kicked the board: first he changed piece by piece, when he took Muriel out and put Alfredo Morelos in, but then he decided to risk; either he tied or they made him the third: inside Falcao, outside Wílmar Barrios.
James, without shining like in the Everton, began to take the ball, to have more precision and to find receivers. Colombia tried: there was a controversial play, a goal by Dávinson Sánchez that the judge did not validate due to a previous foul that was not very clear and that he did not look at the screen. And Colombia was already trying as best it could. And in one of those ollazos, Morelos could not control the ball after a rebound, the ball was left behind for Mojica’s shot and Falcao put the tip of the guayo so that everyone could celebrate together. Soccer sometimes is not enough if there is no heart. And yes there was.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Subeditor – EL TIEMPO
On Twitter: @josasc
