Colombia World Cup Team Blog

winningless and goalless

Nando — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:16:08 +0000

6 games in a row without winning and 5 without scoring goals… at least we didn’t lose tonight against Brazil. I couldn’t be happier with Pinto being fired a month ago, but that was just one part of the problem. We still fail to generate goal chances and when we finally get near the goal area, we fail to score…

The team played quite well past 2 matches (against Paraguay on Saturday and Brazil), but it’s meaningless if we don’t get any good results… now we have just 11 points in 10 matches and our hopes to go to the world cup are slowly fading away….

There’s not much to say about tonight game. As I said already, we played quite well against a team full of world-class players (Kaka, Robinho, Pato, Mancini). I’m really glad Mario Yepes is back playing with the national team, and I’d like to see others like Cordoba and Angel making a come back as well.

This might be the last game with Lara as national coach, seems like we will appoint a new one on January…

What could be say about the draw?

Nando — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:04:09 +0000

I can’t deny that after the game with Peru I felt disappointed in some way, and also pissed off with Pinto. I don’t get why he had to defend a draw when we could have won the game in the first half?? why are playing Rodallega and Perea together since both of them play alike and didn’t get along well on the field??? how could he thought was a good idea to send Portocarrero to the game???

Talking about the game, we played better than Peru on the first half, but second half was a different story, they outplayed us and Pinto’s “wonderful” tactics, and being honest we should have lost the game,¡ lady luck was with us this time.

And now we have to play against a great team who almost defeated Argentina. I wonder if Pinto will play with 10 defenders, seems he has already said he’d be pleased with another draw…. there you have it, we have a coach who doesn’t want to win, let’s see what he has on mind.
If you ask me I would play 4-2-2-2, using Zapata: Zuñiga, Mosquera, Moreno, Bustos; Escobar, Sanchez, Amaya, Vargas; Falcao, Perea.

Let’s see what will happen.

2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup

Nando — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:27:59 +0000

There are some exciting news for Colombia today. FIFA Executive Committee designated Colombia as the host country for the U-20 World Cup in 2011. It was reported that Colombia were chosen over Venezuela (the other bidder) due his football tradition.

The tournament will be played in eight cities, Bogotá (El Campín), Medellín (Atanasio Girardot), Cali (Estadio del Deportivo Cali), Pereira (Hernan Ramírez VIllegas), Manizales (Palogrande), Armenia (Centenario), Barranquilla (Roberto Melendez) and Cartagena (Jaime Morón).

A new list is here

Nando — Wed, 21 May 2008 01:14:23 +0000

Colombia will face Ireland (May 29th) and France (June 3th), preparing its games against Peru and Ecuador for the World Cup Qualifying Round, who will be held later on. Pinto’s list doesn’t include any surprises and it’s based on the team who played last World Cup Qualifiers games (Venezuela and Argentina). I really like the list, the only one I think doesn’t deserve to be on the National Team is Amaranto Perea(Atlético, Spa), he should call Nelson Rivas (Inter, Italy) instead.

Here is the list of 22 players.

Keepers
Agustín Julio (Santa Fe)
Róbinson Zapata (Steaua de Bucarest/ Rom)

Defenders
Rubén Bustos (Internacional/Bra)
Camilo Zúñiga (Atlético Nacional)
Amaranto Perea (Atlético de Madrid/ Spa)
Walter Moreno (Atlético Nacional)
Cristian Zapata (Udinese/ Ita)
Elvis González (Cúcuta Deportivo)
Pablo Armero (América)

Midfielders
Freddy Guarín (Saint Ettiene/ Fra)
José Amaya (Atlético Nacional)
Yulián Anchico (Santa Fe)
Fabián Vargas (Boca Juniors/ Arg)
Carlos Sánchez (Valenciennes/ Fra)
Freddy Grisales (Independiente/ Arg)
Macnelly Torres (Cúcuta Deportivo)
Giovanni Hernández (Junior)
Juan Carlos Escobar (Krilya Sovetov/ Rus)

Forwards
Édison Perea (Gremio/ Bra)
Falcao García (River Plate/ Arg)
Dayro Moreno (Steaua Bucarest/ Rum)
Hugo Rodallega (Necaxa/ Mex) or Roberto Polo (Equidad)

Let’s see what will happen in the next few days.

We lost again: 1 - 2

Nando — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:04:19 +0000

Colombia lost tonight’s game against Honduras at Fort Lauderdale. Suazo and Thomas scored for Honduras, meanwhile Rentería did the same thing for us. I didn’t find highlights on youtube nor any similar web.

The last time we beat Honduras was back in 2001 (Cup America Semifinal) when we won 2-0. Since then, both teams have played each other 4 times (including tonight’s game) losing twice. Overall, they have won 6 games and we 3.

Pinto’s lineup was almost the one I said on my previous post, but Pinto surprised everyone using Aldo Ramírez (I liked this, but he didn’t play well and was later substituted) instead of G. Hernandez on the midfield. Colombia didn’t control the game on the first half but had the better chances to score. Nevertheless, Honduras did it first at the 30th minute, when Suazo took advantage of an error by A. Mosquera and scored a good goal. Just after that, Colombia started to play better, but couldn’t score.

For the second half, Pinto sent Zuñiga instead of Bustos (a expected substitution), and Colombia played well for some minutes. Rentería scored the equalizer after he headed a ball sent by Grisales at the 54th minute, but Thomas scored for Honduras in the 63th minute. After that, Honduras controlled the game and Colombia didn’t do enough to try to score again.

I know that Pinto is trying to use these friendlies to prepare the team who will play on the Qualifiers, but I think he should use them to test new players. We have the goalkeeper (Julio), the defenders (Bustos, Mosquera, Moreno and Velez), the forwards (Rentería and Falcao) and 2 midfielders (Amaya and Sánchez), so why don’t we try to look for those 2 mens on midfield missing and some good backups for the rest of the team? What is the point of using the same lineup? Someone could say that maybe it’s because Pinto wants them to gain some experience, but I think they all are experienced enough.

Let’s see what will happen on April 30th, when we will play with Venezuela on Bucaramanga, it’s expected that Pinto will use players from the local league so maybe it’s the time to see some new faces (finally the chance to Josimmar, Motta and Moreno?).

PS: just for the record, Falcao scored the first goal on River’s victory over Universidad Catolica.

Lineup for tomorrow

Nando — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:25:52 +0000

The final list for tomorrow’s game included just 17 names (as I said on my previous post), and the only new player on it was J. Mosquera (Arsenal, Arg). Hugo Rodallega was called instead of Falcao Garcia (River Plate, Arg), who will be playing with his club on Libertadores Cup game against Universidad Católica (Chile).

It has been reported that Colombia will play using a 4-3-1-2 scheme (Pinto’s favorite): Julio; Bustos, Perea, A. Mosquera and Velez; Sánchez, Amaya, Grisales; Hernández; Perea, Rentería.

There are no surprises on this, it’s almost the same team Pinto’s been using on World Cup Qualifying games (except from Hernández and Perea). I’d like to see Ramírez on the pitch instead of Hernández, who has been really largely disappointing with his club lately. Perea is doing a great job on his new club (Gremio, Bra) and he’s always done and excellent job in the yellow shirt.

Stay tune, I will come with an update just after the game.

Getting ready for Honduras

Nando — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:08:07 +0000

Colombia is going to play with Honduras on March 26th, and Jorge Luis Pinto thinks is a good chance to test some players. So he called 4 men who haven’t been capped before. The lucky ones are Stalin Motta (La Equidad), Paulo Arango (América), Giovanny Moreno (Envigado) and Yossimar Mosquera (Arsenal, Arg). The full list has 25 names, nevertheless, only 17 players will be in the final list and travel to Fort Lauderdale (USA), where the game will be held.

I’m not sure if some of them will be on the game, but I’d really like to see Motta and Mosquera wearing the yellow shirt. Both of them have done and excellent job in their clubs and deserve a chance on the National Team. I don’t understand why Pinto is calling Anchico and Córdoba again.

Keepers

Agustín Julio (Santa Fe)
Róbinson Zapata (Steaua-Rum)

Defenders

Rubén Bustos (Internacional - Bra)
Aquivaldo Mosquera (Sevilla - Spa)
Amaranto Perea (At. Madrid- Spa)
Yossimar Mosquera (Arsenal - Arg)
Wálter Moreno (Nacional)
Alexis Henríquez (O. Caldas)
Estíven Vélez (Nacional)
Javier Arizala (Santa Fe)
Camilo Zúñiga (Nacional)

Midfielders

Yulián Anchico (Santa Fe)
José Amaya (Nacional)
Danilson Córdoba (Medellín)
Carlos Sánchez (Valenciennes - Fra)
Paulo César Arango (América)
Macnelly Torres (Cúcuta)
Giovanni Hernández (Junior)
Giovanni Moreno (Envigado)
Stalin Motta (Equidad)
Aldo Ramírez (Morelia - Mex)
Freddy Grisales (Independiente - Arg)

Forwards

Wason Rentería (Strassburg - Fra)
Edixon Perea (Gremio - Bral)
Falcao García (River Plate - Arg)

Let’s see what will happen

All ended in a draw

Nando — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:56:33 +0000

Colombia probably had the better chances to win the game, we even were winning 0-2 until the 75th minute. Nevertheless, Uruguay scored 2 goals on the final minutes (77th and 86th) and as the title says, the match ended in a draw.

Pinto’s lineup for this game was almost the same I gave you on my previous post (actually juan were more accurate) and Colombia played using a 4-3-1-2 formation, very similar to the one we used against Venezuela back in November. I just guessed wrong 2 names, Zapata played instead of Moreno and Perea did the same thing for Falcao.

I’m not going to talk about the match itself, instead I want to talk about the work of 2 Colombian players. Perea scored twice (23rd and 72nd) for Colombia and did an impressive job during the time he was on the pitch (he was replaced by Falcao), it’s really nice to see that we could count with him any time. Another one who did an outstanding job was Guarín, he should be the one who plays along with Amaya and Sánchez on the world cup qualifiers.

There were some players that didn’t do well. Anchico was disappointing again, I really don’t get why Pinto still calling him for the National Team. Hernández wasn’t the guy who played in Colo-Colo last year and the wingbacks Velez and Zuñiga (replaced Bustos on the second half) made some silly mistakes (one of them lead to second Uruguayan goal).

To finish, I’d like to add the match report (just for the record)

Uruguay: Fabian Carini (Juan Castillo); Maximiliano Pereira, Diego Lugano, Diego Godín Jorge Fucile; Diego Pérez (Cristian Rodriguez), Álvaro González (Martin Cáceres), Walter Gargano, Diego Forlán (Edison Cavani); Sebastián Abreu, Luis Suárez

Goals: Edison Cavani (77), Luis Suarez (86)
Coach: Washington Tavares

Colombia: Agustín Julio; Steven Vélez, Cristian Zapata, Amaranto Perea (Walter Moreno), Rubén Bustos (Zúñiga); Gerardo Bedoya (Danilson Córdoba), Freddy Guarín, Yulián Anchico, Giovanni Hernández (Macnely Torres); Edixon Perea, Wason Rentería (Falcao García)

Goals: Edixon Perea (23, 72)
Coach: Jorge Luis Pinto

Colombian List

Nando — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:59:50 +0000

Jorge Luis Pinto called up 17 players for the game against Uruguay on Wednesday, as I anticipated, most of the players are from the domestic league. Giovanni Hernández was called again after almost 3 years without being caped, but there are no surprises in the list.
Here is the complete list:

Keepers:

Agustín Julio (Santa Fe)
David Ospina (Nacional)

Defenders:

Amaranto Perea (Atlético de Madrid - Spa)
Wálter Moreno (Nacional)
Cristian Zapata (Udinese - Ita)
Camilo Zúñiga (Nacional)
Estiven Vélez (Nacional)
Rubén Darío Bustos (Internacional - Bra)

Midfielders:

Julián Anchico (Santa Fe)
Freddy Guarín (Saint Ettienne - Fra)
Gerardo Bedoya (Millonarios)
Macnelly Torres (Cúcuta)
Giovanni Hernández (Junior)
Danilson Córdoba (Medellín)

Forward:

Wason Rentería (Strasbourg - Fra)
Edixon Perea (Gremio - Bra)
Radamel Falcao García (River Plate - Arg)

I think Pinto will use this team: Julio; Bustos, Moreno, Perea, Velez; Guarín, Bedoya, Anchico, Hernández; Rentería, Falcao. Nevertheless, is expected that he will made a lot of substitutions for the second half (like Torres instead of Hernández).

Uruguay reveals its team for the game against Colombia

Nando — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:04:46 +0000

Uruguay coach Óscar Tabárez has called up 16 players for the friendly game against Colombia who will be played on Feb 6th at Montevideo. There’s no players from the Uruguayan league on the list and just 3 of them plays on South America.

This is the complete list:

Keepers: Fabián Carini (Murcia, Spa), Juan Castillo (Botafogo, Bra)

Defenders: Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce, Tur), Diego Godín (Villarreal, Spa), Martín Cáceres (Recreativo de Huelva, Spa), Jorge Fucile (Oporto, Por), Andrés Scotti (Argentinos Juniors, Arg)

Midfielders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica, Por), Álvaro González (Boca Juniors, Arg), Diego Pérez (Mónaco, Fra), Walter Gargano (Nápoles, Ita), Cristian Rodríguez (Benfica, Por)

Forwards: Diego Forlán (Atlético de Madrid, Spa), Luis Suárez (Ajax, Hol), Sebastián Abreu (River Plate, Arg) y Edison Cavani (Palermo, Ita)

Is expected that Colombia coach will publish his list on Friday noon.