In what’s been officially labeled the hottest ticket in the group stage, with over 5 million ticket submissions, Colombia and Portugal clashed in Miami Stadium to decide the winner of Group K. If Portugal wins, they leapfrog Colombia in the standings to take the top spot. If Colombia wins or draws, they top the group and face Ghana in the Round of 32; Portugal would take on Croatia. The night’s nil-nil draw would see the latter scenario come to life, with a special outcome in Atlanta.
The first half was relatively quiet, with Portugal seeing the better chances closer to halftime. The two sides are stacked with star power and quality, yet they combined for three shots on target through 40 minutes. Transitions were plentiful, but the finishing was lacking.
“Obviously, we want to win like in every match,” said Portugal manager Roberto Martinez in the post-match press conference. “But the reality is we had two victories and one draw, so we feel very prepared for the next match.”
Thankfully, the absence of goals doesn’t always reflect the quality of a match. We saw point-blank saves from both goalkeepers, Camilo Vargas (Colombia) and Diogo Costa (Portugal), a bicycle kick by Ronaldo, and the important technical skills that often get overlooked: Ronaldo’s ability to chest a ball and turn ever so slightly to deflect it to a teammate at an angle. A long ball to Nuno Mendes was controlled in a full sprint with a simple tap of the foot. The finer details of a tight match tend to make the biggest difference in the end.
Colombia amped up the intensity after bringing on Richard Ríos and Luis Suárez in the second half. Portugal responded with the addition of Samú and Rafael Leão. On defense, Portugal continued to press relentlessly, forcing Colombia to act quickly or risk losing possession. Where the Colombians excelled was in counterattacks, often showing greater options in the final third than Portugal. There were multiple instances where a speedster like Pedro Neto would be in a full sprint on a counter, look up, and have no support on the wings or the midfield. Colombia had numbers in every attack, no matter the situation.
Tonight’s match benefited from the newly sanctioned hydration breaks. With heat in the upper-80s and humidity a factor, players were testing their dexterity from the first blow of the whistle. Colombia captain James Rodríguez looked gassed in the second half and was taken off in the 76th minute. He may not be in the same form as we like to remember him from 2014, but with 90% passing accuracy and five created chances, you can see he still has quality. After the match, Néstor Lorenzo agreed. “James is a great player and a symbol on our national team.”
There were jaw-dropping moments and glimpses of quality, but at the end of the day, the most anticipated group stage match of the tournament ended in a goalless draw. The goalkeepers both earn a clean sheet, and both teams advance to the knockout rounds.
“I think the first World Cup has come to an end,” Roberto Martinez began after the match. “Now it’s about getting ready to face our next opponent.”
“Winning or having a draw today did not make a difference; our goal is to play eight matches.
Roberto Martinez, Portugal manager
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the Democratic Republic of the Congo came from behind to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1. The win secured a third place finish for the Leopards in Group K, meaning they will return to Atlanta to face England in the Round of 32. With the top three teams of the group set, it was safe to start looking forward.
“Today, I know very little about Ghana,” said Colombia manager Néstor Lorenzo. “I know it’s a good team, and some players are on good European teams. They’re gonna be a difficult opponent, and we’re gonna do our best while retaining our identity.”
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-Jon Jones
Photos: Eyoel Fassil