Rodriguez injury mars Colombia’s progress
With this victory over Senegal, serenaded by a joyous cacophony from their yellow-shirted army of supporters, Colombia advanced to a last-16 meeting with England. The Africans, meanwhile, were evicted when, after matching Japan in terms of points, goal difference and goals scored, their inferior disciplinary record undermined them.
The Colombians, however, advance to their appointment with Gareth Southgate’s men with a significant shadow cast across their prospects: James Rodriguez limped out of the game after half an hour.
“I am extremely concerned,” said Jose Pekerman, the Colombia coach. “It is a tough situation for my team. It is a topic that could overshadow everything else. But right now I don’t know where he stands, to be honest.”
There must have been 30,000 Colombians in the Samara Arena, filling the place with incessant Latin American rhythm. Their racket reached a climax when they took the decisive lead in the 74th minute when Yerry Mina powered in a header from a corner. It provoked probably the most embarrassing choreographed celebration since Brazil’s rocking babies, involving some synchronised swaying down by the corner flag.
But it was not the way they mark a goal that will have stuck in the mind of Southgate. It was the way Senegal controlled the pace and flow of the game in the first half. Here was clear indication that the Colombians are anything but unbeatable.
Pekerman’s side had been hugely impressive in their previous outing against Poland. But Senegal were not Poland. The way Aliou Cisse’s side harried and badgered was a pointer to what England might do. Like a budget N’golo Kante, Everton’s Idrissa Gueye provided real snap in the centre, sniping and breaking up play, leading a firsthalf squeeze which meant there was none of the space to work the ball to Juan Cuadrado the Poles had allowed.
It made matters worse when Rodriguez limped off straight down the tunnel after a flare-up of the calf problem that had constricted his contribution during the defeat to Japan.
It was the last thing the Colombians wanted to see. Indeed, Senegal could have taken the lead soon after he left when the referee awarded them a penalty after Sadio Mane went down under a heavy challenge from Davinson Sanchez. But, after being advised by his earpiece to check the video replay, where it was obvious that Sanchez had got his heel to the ball, Milorad Mazic overruled himself. It was not a foul, it was a superb intervention.
But Pekerman’s side did not allow the departure of their talisman to generate defeatism. Aware that a draw would put them out if Japan maintained parity with Poland, in the second half they really went for it. And they got their reward in the 74th minute, when, for the second game in succession, Mina, the Barcelona reserve centre-back, got his head to Juan Quintero’s beautifully flighted corner. John Stones and Harry Maguire, clearly, are not the only ones who know what they are doing at corner kicks.
From there David Ospina was obliged to make several smart saves to keep the lead intact, as Senegal, with Cisse frantically semaphoring from the technical area what was required, went in desperate pursuit of the equaliser that would have kept them in the competition.
It was a cruel way to go out for his team, the first to be evicted for illdiscipline. But as the coach himself said, those are the rules. And Colombia ensured that they were not subject to such unfortunate arbitration. They did precisely what was needed to advance: they won the game. Now England await.
Senegal Colombia Booked