The Colombia Under 23 National Team will play all day Sunday against the United States. The team led by Héctor Cárdenas lost 0-2 against Brazil at the Sausalito Stadium on the second day of Group B of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
Good start for the Tricolor, who wear red today in Viña del Mar. The advanced lines and pressure of the opposing field that began to have an effect to create the first clearance of the game with a shot by Carlos Barreiro that forced Mycael to fly. But mistakes overshadowed Colombia’s positive start.
The captain broke into zero
First Sebastián Guerra appeared as a savior, winning the heads-up against Nascimento, who was left alone at the far post. And then a mistake at the start cost a goal: Spaces, first-class play, ball from Nascimento to Biro, who fortunately got the rebound after Alejandro García’s attempt to cut the pass, and the captain ended with a left foot next to a stick. (17′). Nothing can be done for the goalkeeper.
With the lead on the scoreboard, Brazil retreated, chose transitions and in one of them managed to score the second, but Marquinhos’ shot went wide. The Tricolor regained confidence at the end of the first half, however, they lacked the punch in the area beyond some approaches or Andrés Alarcón’s acrobatic backheel that removed them almost from the goal line.
The intensity of Brazil in front of a Colombia that is unclear
Brazil hit again at an important moment of the game: Start of the complementary phase. The ball into the space for Marquinhos who walked along the right wing, holding the entrance to the area to make a defender follow and gave it in the middle for the arrival of Gabriel Pirani, who controlled it and put it in a corner (52′).
Colombia kept possession of the ball, but clarity failed in the last quarter of the field to leave a forward in front of the goal and the middle distance did not work either, because Mycael responded well to test by Daniel Ruiz. In addition, the complaints about the refereeing of the Uruguayan José Burgos, especially for two possible penalties: One at the start of the game for an alleged foul in the ’10’ and one in the second half for in a handball by Michel in the area.
Brazil, with 6 points, is in the semifinals, while the second classified in Group B will emerge from the duel between Colombia and the United States, each with 3 points. That commitment is scheduled for Sunday, October 29 at 4:00 pm (Colombian time) at the Elías Figueroa Stadium.
