Colombia 1-1 (3-4 on penalties) England
A gripping, compelling two hours of football. Of limited quality but absorbed with tension for three quarters of the contest.
If you supported either nation at FIFA 2018 it was one to endure, not enjoy.
But England will not care one jot!
Highlights of the game
That’s because for the first time in four attempts, they have won a World Cup penalty shoot-out.
Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Kieran Trippier, Eric Dier and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford were the England’s heroes as they put aside years of heartache to defeat Colombia in the South American’s first ever shoot-out in the tournament.
The shoot-out was just the latest in a catalogue of Fifa 2018 highlights we Sbobet users are being spoilt with.
Two nations evenly matched and there could only be one winner.
There was no doubt the absence of James Rodriguez, who wasn’t even fit enough to be named on the substitutes bench, was a massive blow to Colombia and an equally massive lift for the Three Lions.
After all, this was their star man. Someone who had scored six times and provided four assists in seven and a half World Cup games and his country’s joint third top scorer with 21 goals.
Much of a nation’s expectations rested on his shoulders but, even without him, a close call with goals was expected.
Pockets of England fans in a Spartak Stadium dominated by Colombian yellow urged their nation to continue their own tournament history against the South Americans.
They needed no reminding England’s record in knockout games has been pretty woeful over the past three decades.
Talk of England misery, no disappointment will ever quite resonate like that faced by Colombia in 1994 when much more than football was at play in a story with a tragic ending. It remains one of the country’s blackest hours.
While the English support may have been outnumbered, and certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, they were heard throughout the catcalls and whistles of Colombia fans as their team were pressed back in the first half.
In an encouraging early tempo from both nations, the interplay between Jesse Lingard and Trippier caused some brief uncertainty inside the first 20 minutes, while John Stones reacted quickly to stop Radamel Falcao from lining up a shot.
Chances were at a premium, plenty of energy, no end product.
Niggling fouls peppered the end of the half, particularly when Wilmar Barrios pushed his head into Jordan Henderson and was perhaps fortunate to only receive a yellow card.
It suggested a lively second half and 12 minutes after the restart, Carlos Sanchez rugby-tackled Kane at a corner right in front of the referee.
The awarding of a penalty was obvious and Colombia’s lengthy protests seemed as laughable as the spot kick was legitimate.
If designed to put him off – the goal arrived three and a half minutes after the penalty had been awarded – it didn’t as Kane despatched his third penalty of the tournament and his sixth goal to cement his place as the competition’s leading scorer.
He has scored in every England game he has started as captain.
He is the leading marksman so far and many Fifa 2018 predictions will expect it to stay that way – no wonder they call him King Harry!
As tempers rose, so the yellow cards kept coming and Harry Maguire was lucky to escape a booking after going to ground in the Colombian penalty area.
A key Colombia chance arrived nine minutes from time after a rare mistake from Kyle Walker let them in and, eventually, Juan Cuadrado blazed over and let England off the hook.
That seemed that but in the second minute of stoppage time Pickford tipped over superbly to deny Mateus Uribe a wonder goal.
From the resulting corner, with Colombian keeper David Ospina an extra attacker, Yerry Mina powered home a textbook header – his third goal of the tournament – to force extra-time.
England suddenly looked mentally tired and short of ideas, Colombia refreshed and looking dangerous without being sharp. Chances came and went on both sides but, while it turned around slightly with England on top in the closing stages of extra-time, it always seemed destined for penalties.
England have won a World Cup penalty shoot-out – and you’re not misreading it!
Key statistics
England are now unbeaten against Colombia in six previous meetings.
The Three Lions beat Colombia 2-0 in their only previous World Cup encounter thanks to goals from Darren Anderton and David Beckham in the group stage of the 1998 tournament.
Los Cafeteros have scored in each of their last nine World Cup games since losing that encounter.
None of Colombia’s 22 matches at the World Cup have ended goalless. Only the USA (33) and Austria (29) have played more games in the competition without registering a 0-0 draw.
Kane has now become the first player to score in six consecutive appearances for England since Tommy Lawton back in 1939.
In equalising in the 93rd minute, Yerry Mina became the first player to score three or more headers at a World Cup since Miroslav Klose netted five for eventual runners-up Germany in 2002.
What’s next?
England will now face Sweden in Samara in the third quarter-final.
Colombia head home and next are in action next season. A September 7 meeting with Venezuela.
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