One of the main challenges for Colombia in the match against its Bolivian counterpart for the South American qualifiers Qatar 2022 was to protect 11 players from the accumulation of yellow cards. In the end, the only one who will miss the last match of the championship for this reason will be Juan Guillermo Cuadrado.
Although it did not seem like it, the match with Bolivia was perhaps the most pressing, due to the need to break the streak of seven games without scoring and four without winning in Barranquilla. But the commitment against Venezuela is of special importance, not only because it faces former Tricolor technician José Néstor Pekerman, but because of the need to win to wait for a draw or defeat for the Peruvian national team that will give us a quota for the repechage.
In that order of ideas it was essential that those who were conditioned by the addition of yellow cards will play with a cool head. In order not to miss the match on March 29, in which the team's referents are also needed.
In the end, the situation was well handled by both the players and the coaching staff and these were the players who were on the verge of suspension, but they will contribute to Venezuela:
In the midfield there were two regular starters reprimanded. One of them is James Rodriguez, one of the historical footballers of the Tricolor, who, even without having the best physical condition, is a game generator. In addition to the list is Mateus Uribe, one of the most questioned players in recent matches, but who integrates a good match in contention with Wilmar Barrios and who scored the second goal against the Bolivian national team.
The alarm, too, that some attackers of the coffee team are at risk of adding a yellow card in the upcoming Fifa dates. Luis Diaz, who is scoring at Liverpool and may currently be the most important player in the Colombia national team, should be especially careful not to foul. The same goes for Rafael Santos Borré, who has gradually received the trust of Reinaldo Rueda, although it was not used against Bolivia. In addition, Miguel Ángel Borja remained on the tightrope, who scored four goals with Junior.
If it rains on the offensive, it does not escape on the defensive: Davinson Sánchez and William Tesillo, the second starter against Bolivia, were conditioned. Daniel Muñoz joins, although he plays in his favor versatility: he plays both as a right-back and as an internal steering wheel.
David Ospina, Colombia's guardian angel in recent matches, is another one who should be aware of the need not to be warned. So did Camilo Vargas, who has fulfilled guarding the portico every time it was required of him.
DATE 18 OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN PLAYOFFS:
MARCH 29TH
- 6:30 p.m. - Peru vs Paraguay
National Stadium, Lima
- 6:30 p.m. - Venezuela vs Colombia
Cachamay Stadium, Guyana
- 6: 30 p. m. - Bolivia vs Brasil
Hernando Siles Stadium, La Paz
- 6: 30 p. m. - Chile vs Uruguay
Monumental Stadium, Santiago
- 6: 30 p. m. - Ecuador vs Argentina
Banco Pichincha Monumental Stadium, Guayaquil
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