Despite the defeat against Croatia, the coach of the Colombia national team, Nestor Lorenzo, made only two changes to the team that took the field at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, to face France. There were two powerful reasons for that: he has placed all his confidence in them and he does not have more than 14 top-level figures in the squad. In the end, the Colombia national team lost 3–1 to France and has now suffered two consecutive defeats..
The starters were Alvaro Montero, Daniel Munoz, Davinson Sanchez, Juan David Cabal, Johan Mojica, Richard Rios, John Arias, James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz and Luis Suarez. Goalkeeper Montero replaced starter Camilo Vargas, and defender Cabal took the place of Jhon Lucumi. The Colombian strategist insisted on Suarez, despite the fact that in the match against Croatia he wasted a clear goal-scoring opportunity that, had he converted it, would have meant a draw with the Europeans.
France arrived with the momentum of having defeated five-time champion Brazil in the previous matchday, and began the match without its star Kylian Mbappe. Those who started the match were Samba, Kalulu, Lacroix, Hernandez, Digne, Zaire-Emery, Kante, Akliouche, Cherki, Doue and Thuram. With those two lineups, in the first ten minutes, the match had already become end to end. Colombia looked very focused, although Rios and Munoz had a misunderstanding without major consequences.
The doubts raised by James Rodriguez
France showed a lot of mobility, but was left semi-paralyzed in the 14th minute, when Luis Diaz stepped on the ball, unsettled the opponent marking him and set Mojica free toward the end line to deliver a cross. His shot nearly caused an own goal by the Europeans. In the 21st minute, another run by Diaz in the attacking half ended with a direct shot by Rodriguez toward Samba’s goal.
Eight minutes later, the Frenchman Doue shot toward the Colombian goal, and a slight deflection by Munoz unsettled Montero. The score became 1-0, and Colombia responded with two good advances by Arias that ended at the feet of Rodriguez, whose lack of physical condition and limited playing time began to take their toll. For some analysts, with Rodriguez on the field, Colombia plays with ten and a half men. Rather than finishing or making passes, Colombia’s number 10 carries the ball at the risk of losing it.
With eight minutes left before the end of the first half, Kalulu managed to send a cross from the right that reached the heart of the Colombian six-yard box and was finished by Thuram with a precise header. He beat Colombian defenders Munoz and Sanchez, who jumped alongside the Frenchman but were unable to track him. Montero, who came out late, conceded the second goal and Colombia not only received that additional goal, but also a strong emotional blow. From then on, in the final minutes of the first half, France tilted the field and pinned the cafeteros back.
For the second half, Colombia’s coach made three changes: he took off John Arias, the highest-rated Colombian in the first half, and replaced him with Andres Gomez; he also substituted Richard Rios for Gustavo Puerta, and changed Luis Suarez for John Cordoba. But the cafetero team showed no signs of improvement. On the contrary, in the 53rd minute, Doue scored France’s third and his second personal goal. Lorenzo responded with three more changes: Juanfer Quintero for James Rodriguez, Jaminton Campaz for Luis Diaz and Deiver Machado for Johan Mojica.
In the 76th minute Campaz scored for Colombia. With his left foot he struck the ball against the left post of Samba’s goal and it went in. The play was the result of a Colombia that was fighting rather than playing. Almost simultaneously, Mbappe came on, the most notable substitution made by France. The match opened up and, as at the beginning, became end to end. But the result did not change.
With Sunday’s result (Lorenzo’s seventh defeat with the Colombia national team), France increased its number of victories over Colombia. Of the six matches the two teams have played, the French have won four and the Colombians two. Colombia has two matches left against Costa Rica and Jordan before facing the World Cup.