We to the Quarter Final
July 03, 2018.
We beat Colombia, a surprise for no one. We know us better than them at the ball. But we expected to win them differently, easily is the exact word.
Still without that cursed goal we took few minutes before the end of the game, we would have won them easily as we planned it. We control the game, we keep the ball from the first whistling to the moment we took this goal, which does not come by itself. Our players by stop playing give them the space to play and lead the game, and have the margin to score. How can Pickford left his box at such moment of the game when we have a short lead, to be preserved than taking useless risk by trying to play quickly and forcingly?
The Colombian player would have not scored with the strike would our goalkeeper remained in the nest for having more than few fingers to tip up the ball out of the box. We told them good at kicking and they prove it. Our players should have not let the player kick. That is the first greatest mistake at around 50 yards we need to set a security belt, prevent the rival team's player shooting, or though they did prevent the ball to enter in the nest by distorting the trajectory of the ball.
The one to blame for the goal is Pickford, we think he lost the about of the match, we were leading and winning, few minutes passing without goal and we would win easily without any pain and suffering. Of course we were aware that the council is back moving the strings to have the Colombians equalized. Our players were asked not to continue playing with the same tempo as in the first half of the match. Around 70th minutes of the match, we all see our players stop playing as they were doing. Whereas since in the first half they have broken the Colombian team physically and technically. By out-passing them by keeping the ball and multiplying goal actions, we made them very nervous at an extent that they found themselves playing unfriendly toward our players, they commit lot of serious fools against them, with many gone unpunished by the referee.
When you look this excerpt of the match you have the dull impression it is not the same Colombian team, which used to play quite well with their greatest player, James Rodriguez who were suffering of an injury. We lead them from the beginning of the match up to the around 70, the players were asked not to play as they were doing. Thus gives the Colombian the opportunity to develop a likeness of lead, which never made a real challenge for us as they did not have a real single goal chance.
Then there was the corner, how can their players being let alone, in our circle and having the opportunity to head the ball without any challenge, such way he succeeds sending it with power toward our box. How could also our defender who were in the box, stand behind the goal line to defend, when there is quite clear he could not maneuver as he wants on that point. The header of the Colombian players could not be chased out of the nest, when he was already inside it. The all he did was headed the ball that goes up to hit the wood and coming toward the floor of the goal, behind the line showing that the Colombian scored.
The first half of the extra time was led by the Colombians, a leading for the word sake without goal chance, our players were economizing their strength. At the second half of the prolongation we led them, creating few chances to score without never doing so. The Colombian team clearly then played the penalties.
During this stage of the match the Cafeteros were the first to shoot their penalty; their player scored easily. Henry Kane was the first to shoot for the Three Lions, he did that but the rival team goalkeeper’s hand was not far. The council clearly use its influence to have our players scored in perspective of missing their penalties, as all went in the direction of the goalkeeper. Thus came an English player that missed his penalty, should the next Colombian scored his, they would have won the match. Luckily, he hits the wood.
We play Sweden during this stage, they have a good team that play with enthusiasm. They defeat the Swiss without extraordinary displayance of football.
