Prior to Tuesday’s Match
Heading into Tuesday night’s match against Australia, Colombia had not lost a game since March 20th versus Brazil. Since then, the South American team has gone undefeated in eight games, winning five and drawing three. Colombia finished World Cup qualification in excellent form, winning their last two games and scoring six goals past Venezuela in the final match. Following their final competitive match, Colombia has defeated Mexico 4-0, drawn 0-0 with Canada, and won 2-1 against New Zealand.
Australia concluded its World Cup qualification campaign in June, securing one of the six guaranteed spots from the AFC 3rd Round. The Socceroos had a successful September, winning two friendlies against New Zealand, followed by a victory over Canada last month. However, their previous two games finished in defeat, having lost to both the USA and Venezuela.
A Somewhat Quiet First Half
The first half saw no clear-cut opportunities for either team, with Colombia leading the way with three shots on target. Although the South American side displayed a stronger attacking presence, they failed to convert any of their chances. Luis Diaz and Yaser Asprilla were instrumental to Colombia’s attack on the wings, but both of their attempts were saved by Australia’s goalkeeper, Paul Izzo. The half concluded with a superb free-kick attempt from Riley McGree, which was saved by Colombia’s Camilo Vargas.
Three Late Goals to Seal the Match
It was a fairly quiet second half until the 76th minute when captain James Rodriguez converted a penalty, giving Colombia a well-deserved lead. It was a rather soft call by the referee, with Australia head coach speaking negatively about the decision in his post match interview. Further late goals from Luis Diaz and Jefferson Lerma sealed the match for Colombia as what looked like a potential disappointing result changed into a comfortable victory.
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