In my pre match analysis, I had quoted boldly that there might be an upset in store, & Columbia almost scripted that upset against favourites England, before bowing out in a penalty shoot out.
The match was quite even between the two teams, & in the first half the ball stayed mostly in the middle, with England, though having more possession, failed to dominate. Columbia, in absence of the injured Rodriguez, missed his game making & spreading capabilities, but gritted it out against the more fancied opponents.
In the second half, England Captain Harry Kane, managed to draw the referee's attention to 'a not so serious foul' & earn a penalty, which he converted easily to take his tally to six & lead the goalscorer's chart for now, as England seemed well set to retain the 1-0 lead till the end. However, well into injury time, off a Cuadrado corner, Yerry Mina towered above others to head the ball in, for an equaliser, & push the game into extra time. The Columbians, looked the nippier side to me, though they missed a finisher throughout the game. With penalty shoot out coming into play, it was England's time to sweat & worry, as their record has been dismal up till now. Their agony went a notch up, when Columbian keeper Ospina blocked Jordon Henderson's kick to get his country the vital lead. However, the joy was shortlived, as Mateus Uribe's rasping shot for Columbia next, hit the cross bar & came out, wasting the opportunity & then, England keeper Pickford blocked the next Columbian shot from Bacca. In the final kick for England, Eric Dier, cooly placed the ball into the left corner, & England had scraped through for a win, by the skin of their teeth.
Columbia lost out on a great opportunity to upset the rather shaky England, especially after dragging the game into penalties.
England, now face Sweden in the QF.
The match was quite even between the two teams, & in the first half the ball stayed mostly in the middle, with England, though having more possession, failed to dominate. Columbia, in absence of the injured Rodriguez, missed his game making & spreading capabilities, but gritted it out against the more fancied opponents.
In the second half, England Captain Harry Kane, managed to draw the referee's attention to 'a not so serious foul' & earn a penalty, which he converted easily to take his tally to six & lead the goalscorer's chart for now, as England seemed well set to retain the 1-0 lead till the end. However, well into injury time, off a Cuadrado corner, Yerry Mina towered above others to head the ball in, for an equaliser, & push the game into extra time. The Columbians, looked the nippier side to me, though they missed a finisher throughout the game. With penalty shoot out coming into play, it was England's time to sweat & worry, as their record has been dismal up till now. Their agony went a notch up, when Columbian keeper Ospina blocked Jordon Henderson's kick to get his country the vital lead. However, the joy was shortlived, as Mateus Uribe's rasping shot for Columbia next, hit the cross bar & came out, wasting the opportunity & then, England keeper Pickford blocked the next Columbian shot from Bacca. In the final kick for England, Eric Dier, cooly placed the ball into the left corner, & England had scraped through for a win, by the skin of their teeth.
Columbia lost out on a great opportunity to upset the rather shaky England, especially after dragging the game into penalties.
England, now face Sweden in the QF.
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