Evening Telegraph (First Edition)

Colombia gaffer salutes battlers

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JOSE Pekerman praised his Colombia players for carrying out his instructio­ns to a tee as they kept alive their last-16 prospects and knocked Poland out of the World Cup with a 3-0 victory.

The 2014 quarter-finalists were fighting to avoid an early eliminatio­n after their surprise loss to Japan and responded with a brilliant attacking display, with Yerry Mina, Radamel Falcao and Juan Cuadrado all finding the net.

Cuadrado, man-of-thematch James Rodriguez and Juan Fernando Quintero were all superb and Pekerman praised his men for delivering in the high-stakes contest.

“We always had as our goal to play the way we played tonight,” he said

“From beginning to end the players stayed true to that style.

“We understand t hat Poland were a tough rival and we had to focus.

“We were playing with the pressure of having to win. There was no room for any mistakes.

“We shouldered t hat responsibi­lity fully but with creative football. We managed to impose this quality, that we have. “

Pekerman made a point of mentioning defender Carlos Sanchez, whose early red card for handball against the Japanese had contribute­d to Colombia’s loss.

Pekerman did not expand on reports Sanchez has received death threats in the wake of his dismissal but did confirm he was “deeply affected” by the fall-out.

 ??  ?? Colombia head coach Jose Pekerman.
Colombia head coach Jose Pekerman.

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