itsbeautifuloutside

Japan v Columbia

Culaba, 24th June 2014

Match Report

Columbia made eight changes for this game with my favourites Rodriguez and Zapata rested. Looking at the line up, none of them had me expecting big moustaches, sombreros and bullet belts, which was a shame. As the players came out of the tunnel I was left hoping that all the changes wouldn't stop us seeing the sort of footer from them that has won my heart so far. Japan's team looked ok, so I was looking forward to the game.

But then things took a turn for the worse, Jonathan Pearce and Mark Lawrenson were commentating and Pearce started moaning before the game even kicked off. Then he started talking about Suarez, he is such a bore.

The game started quite brightly, lots of attacking, Japan were on the front foot, with Columbia looking to hit them on the break, there was some good footer, Yoshida looked confident and cool but up front Japan didn't seem to be able to hit the target.

The commentating buffoons occupied themselves talking about how England should have taken Terry and Cole, sheesh, and despite what you might have thought from listening to them, there was a pretty decent game going on that didn't feature English has-beens or Uruguayan shoulder munchers. And then there was a penalty to Columbia after Yasuyuki Konno's brought down Adrian Ramos… Goooooooooooooool. Cuadrado smashed it down the middle.

On 20 minutes a cup of tea arrived along with a piping hot, vegan friendly, scone (are scones meant to be hot? I don't know much about these things). You don't get catering or service like that at St Marys you know.

Columbia were playing the better footer, but Japan were still attacking more, although they still couldn't work the keeper.

Columbia's number 21, Martinez, looks just like my brother-in-law, and their coach looks like Alan Pardew's older brother.

During one of Japan's many attacks Yoshida was fouled on the edge of the area, Honda took the free kick and it just went wide, up the other end Columbia's subs were warming up by doing what looked like a conga behind the goal, and there was a Japanese flag in the crowd that looked alive, however, on closer inspection it was just a bald man who'd painted his head and face red and stuck it though a hole in a white sheet. Back on the pitch a player the two idiots with microphones had been moaning about, Japan's Okubo, went for an over head kick in the Columbian penalty area, it went over, but it wasn't a bad effort.

Just before half time my brother-in-law, sorry, Martinez scuffed a shot that would have rounded off a nice Columbia move. He really should have made it 2-0, but didn't, and then Japan went up the other end and scored. Shinji Okazaki headed in a cross from Honda, it was the very last touch of the half. Japan celebrated and Columbia trudged off.

Japan's equaliser seemed to have forced the Columbian coach's hand and he brought Rodriguez on for the second half, if nothing else it meant that the commentators at last sounded a little bit positive about something, and with good reason, straight away he was bright and full of running. On 54 minutes he set up Martinez to score Columbia's second goal. It was a good finish but the run, feint and pass from Rodriguez were great to watch. After that Japan went straight on the attack and after Kagawa's high, wide shot, they nearly scored from a dangerous cross into the six yard box. A few minutes later Honda had a long range free kick beaten out by the keeper and Okuba came very close from a whipped in cross.

Japan were really going for it, launching attack after attack. Columbia are soaking it up and trying to hit them on ht break. And that's just what they did, a sweeping move ended with another fine finish from Martinez to make it 3-1. Again Japan could, and maybe should have scored straight away, Kagawa shot wide.

Columbia brought on 43 year old goalkeeper Mondragon as a sub, for no other reason than it was a nice thing to do with the game all but won. To put the icing on the cake for Columbia, Rodriguez turned Yoshida inside out in the area and chipped the keeper to make it 4-1; a superb goal.

I really enjoyed this game, and although I'm sad to see Yoshida and Japan go out at least they gave it a good go, and I'm really looking forward to seeing more from this Columbia side.

OneBeat