September 5, 1993 marked a milestone in the history of the Colombia selection. It was an atypical match, purely effective for the team led by Francisco Maturana. Everyone who lived it remembers every detail, how and where they followed that 5-0 that meant qualifying for the United States-94 World Cup.
(You may be interested: Cuadrado graduated to lead the Colombian National Team)
But that year 1993 was different in the duels between Argentines and Colombians. That year, Colombia won both games of the tie. Before that, he had never succeeded (although they had only met in 1985). And after that, the only victory was in 2007, with Jorge Luis Pinto as coach. And two years ago, he defeated her 2-0 in the Copa America in Brazil. Why is it so hard for Colombia to beat Argentina?
“Argentina tends to always do things correctly. They are well-armed teams, which tend to have the character to face these matches, they don’t lose them easily ”, explained Luis Fernando Suárez, current Bucaramanga coach and with experience in qualifying rounds and World Cups with Ecuador and Honduras.
“In the mental part, it’s like he always makes us think that we can’t, but it’s more because of what they have than what we don’t have,” he added.
Suárez recalled an anecdote before 5-0 that reflects the character of that team. They had already met twice in the Copa América in Ecuador: two draws and a defeat in the semifinals in kicks from the penalty spot. And then, in Barranquilla, Colombia won 2-1 and finished with an unbeaten 31-game Argentine.
(Also read: The Reinaldo Rueda effect changed the attitude of the National Team)
“Before 5-0, we played against Peru in Barranquilla. I went to watch that game, we won 4-0. I was staying at the same hotel as the National Team and I went to say goodbye to Pacho. I congratulated him on the victory and then I told him that a very rough game was coming there in Argentina. The man tells me, with a calm face: ‘Nando, stay calm that we won that game.’ Then I saw the game and I thought that Pacho had to be very sure about things and how he was going to face them, “he said.
Argentine vision
“I believe that Argentina did not lose to Colombia again due to a question of the Colombian’s head: from that moment on, Colombia never again faced a tie with the desire to be superior, to play as equals and thinking of their own forces, not in how to annul the rival. It is very difficult to get victories when the team is not convinced of being able to achieve them, “said Ricardo Lunari, champion with Newell’s in Argentina and former player and former coach of Millonarios.
I think that Argentina did not lose again to Colombia due to a question of the Colombian’s head:
“Everything happens through the people who have the obligation to lead the team, to convey to the players the idea that there are real possibilities of winning it. If Colombia only thinks of destroying, of cutting the Argentine circuit and not hurting Argentina in a counterattack, taking the initiative, it is very difficult. Colombia has failed to try: it is useless to just try to prevent Argentina from playing, “he added.
In the last 15 years, the question has always been recurring: how to stop Lionel Messi. “Messi is classified as the best in the world, but he is an ordinary player, he is a player like any of us …”, said Gustavo Bolívar, a member of the national team led by Leonel Álvarez. Yesterday, the question was reiterative for those who spoke, Wílmar Barrios (see alternate note) and Dávinson Sánchez. Now, Colombia must think about its own game to finish straightening the way to Qatar 2022.
JOSÉ ORLANDO ASCENCIO
Sports Deputy Editor
@Josasc
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