Colombia tried 16 times, but only on the 17th shot managed to score the goal that gave them a 1-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in the early hours of this Wednesday (24), in Group K of the World Cup, at the Akron stadium, in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Full-back Muñoz’s goal gave the South American team their second victory in the World Cup, which took them to 6 points and take the lead in the group, two points more than Portugal, who earlier beat Uzbekistan 5-0.
With 1 point, the Democratic Republic of Congo still has a chance of qualifying if they beat Uzbekistan in the last round, on Saturday (27). On the same day, Colombians and Portuguese will decide the group leader.
The first shot on goal of the game came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with midfielder Kayembe passing close to Vargas’ goal. And it was only in the first half.
From that moment on, Colombia was in complete control, attacking from both sides of the field, making passes inside the area or shooting from outside.
In the first half alone, the South Americans shot 14 times and scored 6 on goal. On the other side, the Congolese only finished twice, without danger.
Colombian pressure, however, did not turn into goals. There were several chances to score, but goalkeeper Mpasi was firm in defending from distance and up close.
Full-back Muñoz missed a great opportunity after just 3 minutes. After excellent triangulation by Luis Suárez, Luis Díaz and Jhon Arias on the left, the ball was free to Muñoz on the right. He kicked hard and low, but the ball hit the net from the outside.
In the next move, Muñoz scored with a header after a rebound from the goalkeeper, but the referee canceled the match and ruled it offside.
The sequence consisted of shots from outside the area, with James Rodríguez, Mojica, Luis Díaz and Puerta, always well defended by the rival goalkeeper.
It was only after the hydration break that the Congolese advanced their marking and took away the spaces that the Colombians had in midfield, ending the initial momentum. The duel became a little more balanced, with some arrivals on both sides of the attack, but without effectiveness.
The Colombians continued to dominate in the second half, although their African rivals were more advanced and trying to attack, but without being able to shoot. The only shot on goal by the African team was in the 45th minute, with a shot from outside the area by Mbuku.
On the other side, striker Luis Díaz scored twice, but committed a foul on the first shot and was offside on the second, to the frustration of the fans who filled the stadium in Guadalajara.
It was only 30 minutes before the goal came. Quintero passed at the edge of the area to Córdoba, who blocked the light and the ball was left at the edge of the area for Muñoz to shoot hard. The ball hit the toe of Kapuadi’s boot and deceived goalkeeper Mpasi.
Expectations in Bogotá
In Bogotá, you couldn’t walk a block this Tuesday without coming across a person wearing the Colombian national team shirt. Two days ago, the situation was similar, but for another reason.
The tricolor became the target of political dispute after Abelardo de la Espriella, elected president on Sunday (21), turned the item into a campaign piece. This Tuesday, however, she was a symbol of unity in a country that was divided in two in the most disputed election in its recent history.
Verônica Giraldo, 25, wore the shirt without fear of being confused with supporters of the ultra-rightist, as she did not support him.
“We, who do not feel represented by this campaign, are a little afraid of using it and confusing ourselves with their followers. But it is still the symbol of the team”, says the accounting assistant. “At game time, we put politics aside to support the team. Then we started fighting again.”
Dogs also wore the yellow shirt, and cars were decorated with the flag before the departure, at 9 pm local time (11 pm Brasília time).
For seller José Lopez, the shirt had double meaning. “Out of patriotic fervor, we usually wear the shirt whenever the team plays,” he says. But he also thinks that, “for a long time, we felt like this nation was losing itself, but one candidate wanted to embrace the colors of the flag.”
His expectation, as well as that of all the fans the report spoke to, is to reach the quarter-finals. Holding out until the semi-finals would be equivalent to winning the title.
“That would be fabulous,” says retiree Ernesto Córdoba. He thinks the biggest challenge will be facing Portugal next Saturday (27). “It’s going to be difficult, but we’re confident we’ll get through it.”
