Colombia star James Rodriguez will be looking to score in his fifth consecutive World Cup match against Brazil
Two teams meet in the quarter-final of the World Cup on Friday night with one team in top-form and one team struggling to find their rhythm.
Those two teams are Brazil and Colombia, but it is not the hosts that go into the clash in top form.
Colombia have won all four of their games at the World Cup so far and been one of the most impressive teams at the competition.
Unconvincing
The hosts have looked very unconvincing on home soil at the competition.
In fact the Selecao came close to exiting the competition with one of the last kicks of their last 16 clash with Chile, as Mauricio Pinilla’s effort smashed against the Brazilian bar in the dying seconds of extra-time.
While in the group stages, the Selecao failed to breakdown a very stubborn Mexican resistance and ended up drawing 0-0. If Neymar has an off day, there seems to be very few other players that will step up and provide the creativity needed to win a game at the highest level.
The current Brazilian team has players like Hulk and Oscar, who to be fair has not been at their best for the host nation. These are the sort of players that are expected to take the burden off poster boy Neymar.
Outstanding
On the other hand Colombia’s players have really impressed. Monaco playmaker James Rodriguez is the competitions top scorer with five goals and has found the target in all of his countries games so far.
Rodriguez has arguably been the star of the tournament so far. His performances have seen him linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, but the youngster has already stated that he is quite happy with Monaco.
For a while James, as he is now known, has been fulfilling his potential out of sight of the so called major European leagues, first at Porto in Portugal and more recently in France with Monaco after a big-money move.
The 22-year-old scored nine goals and collected a further 12 assists for Monaco in Ligue One last season, as the principality outfit finished second to fellow big-spenders PSG. Rodriguez went into this World Cup as a promising young player. He will come out of it as one of the best performers of the competition.
James Rodriguez has not been the only Colombia player to impress though. Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado has been his able assistant, creating four goals at the World Cup, just one less than he did in 32 Serie A games for Fiorentina last season.
However, Cuadrado has been building himself a big reputation in Italian football over the past couple of seasons. The 26-year-old has been linked with big money moves to the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool in the past couple of summers.
Fiorentina have this summer bought the full rights to Cuadrado’s ownership to try and bat away interest from elsewhere. However, it does not seem to have done the trick, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Liverpool once again believed to be interested in signing the versatile star.
Helping Colombia to defeat Brazil and make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup will do his chances of a move no harm at all, if that is what he wants. Cuadrado has already played a big part in Colombia making history by making it to the quarter-finals for the first time.
Missing
Colombia’s performance at the World Cup has been made all the more remarkable by the fact that they are missing star striker Radamel Falcao. The loss of such a strong influence in the team could have had a terrible mental effect on the team.
However, they have overcame Falcao’s loss with young superstar in the making Rodriguez taking the role as lead inspiration. Questions about Colombia’s ability to cope without Falcao have been blown away in Brazil.
Tough
Colombia will know that it will be tough for them to defeat the Selecao on home soil, but after their magnificent performances at the World Cup so far it would be harsh to write them off at this stage of the competition.
Even if Colombia does go down to Brazil in the quarter-finals, then Jose Pekerman’s team will have enhanced their reputation and done their country proud.
Can Colombia shock hosts Brazil at the World Cup?
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
