Moreno is in, Angel not

November 8th, 2007 | by: Nando | Comments(2)

Pinto finally gave his list and called 22 players for the games against Venezuela and Argentina, to be played in 2 weeks. Juan Pablo Angel was left out due medical issues.

The list includes 5 new players: Amaranto Perea, Tressor Moreno, Rubén Bustos, Macnelly Torres and Dayro Moreno. Nobody expected that T. Moreno were called after the problems he had in the past with Pinto. ‘he wants to come back’ told Pinto about Moreno’s call.

I’d had liked to watch Angel back to the Colombian team, but he suffered a concussion in the last Saturday game against New England, and the doctors said he would need some time to fully recover. Anyhow, I really don’t understand why Pinto still calls a player like Hugo Rodallega, I don’t think he’d be a solution to the lack of goal that our team is suffering, I’d rather called someone like Carmelo Valencia (who played against Bolivia and did well) or even Carlos Hidalgo (from Deportivo Pasto).

Rubén Bustos was called to replace injured Zuñiga (Atlético Nacional), so I hope he do a great job and play like he played on 2007 Libertadores Cup with Cúcuta Deportivo (he’s currently playing in Brazil’s Gremio). I think he will play with Velez (Atlético Nacional) as wingbacks against Venezuela, but Vallejo and Arizala will play against Argentine since they’re more defensive guys.

Dayro Moreno (Once Caldas) was finally called after his impressive numbers this season, when he has scored 15 goals in 18 matches and is currently the top scorer of Colombian league. Amaranto Perea was called after he missed first 2 matches due an injury, but I really doubt he would make it to the 11 starters, since guys like Aquivaldo Mosquera and Walter Moreno seems to be in better shape.

Here are the 22 players on Pinto’s list:

Goalkeepers: Agustin Julio (Tolima), Robinson Zapata (Steaua Bucharest, Rom)

Defenders: Aquivaldo Mosquera (Sevilla, Spa), Luis Amaranto Perea (Atlético Madrid, Spa), Walter Moreno (Cúcuta), Rubén Bustos (Gremio, Bra), Gerardo Vallejo (Tolima), Estiven Vélez (Atlético Nacional), Javier Arizala (Tolima)

Midfielders: Carlos Sánchez (Valenciennes, Fra), Jose Amaya (Atlético Nacional), Freddy Grisales (Colón, Arg), Jorge Banguero (America), Jaime Castrillon (Independiente Medellin), David Ferreira (Atlético Paranaense, Bra), Aldo Leao Ramirez (Atletico Nacional), Macnelly Torres (Cucuta)

Forwards: Radamel Falcao Garcia (River Plate, Arg), Hugo Rodallega (Necaxa, Mex), Tressor Moreno (San Luis, Mex), Wason Renteria (Strasbourg, Fra), Dayro Moreno (Once Caldas)

Maybe this is the team on Pinto’s mind for Venezuela’s game: Julio; Bustos, W. Moreno, Mosquera, Vélez; Sánchez, Amaya, Castrillón, T. Moreno; Falcao, Rentería. Let’s see what happens in the next days.

 Addendum: I had’t noticed yet but Cristian Zapata (Udinese, Ita) is not in the list… I wonder why Pinto thinks W. Moreno is better than Zapata.