The undefeated Colombian National Team in the Néstor Lorenzo era is getting ready to defend that condition, but also to consolidate the football and style that the Argentine coach has been instilling in it since he took command.
The national team faces Romania this Tuesday, March 26 (2:30 pm), at the Metropolitano stadium of Atlético de Madrid, a match that will surely have a large turnout of Colombian fans, based in Spain and nearby countries.
For this duel, coach Néstor Lorenzo will combine the starting roster a little, giving the opportunity to several of those who played little against the Spanish, and others who did not have minutes.
Names such as David Ospina, Santiago Arias, Gabriel Fuentes, James Rodríguez, Richard Ríos and Rafael Santos Borré, among others, would be considered by the helmsman. Whoever plays, the idea is to follow the style that the coach has been instilling and that has given enough results.
“We have been working a lot on the issue of playing the so-called big teams as equals; “I think we are on the right path and we have shown it,” Lorenzo said.
With James from the start, the National Team gains in precision and surprise; although there is the option for the coach to reserve the 10 for the second half, as he did on Friday against Spain.
For the position there is also the experienced Juan Fernando Quintero, and the youthful Yáser Asprilla. In attack, it is likely that Jorge Carrascal, with poor performance against the Spanish, will lose his position.
Romania is a team that does not make much noise in Europe, but it has been having good campaigns under the guidance of young coach Edward Iordanescu, son of Ángel Iordanescu, former Romanian coach.
The European team is undefeated in 12 games and has not lost since November 17, 2022 when it lost in a friendly against Slovenia. He is qualified for the Euro Cup, he had a great 2023 and is getting ready to continue his great campaign, led by young players due to the renovation that the coach has been implementing.
“It is a strong, fast, tactically disciplined team, against which we must impose the conditions to continue growing as a group,” goalkeeper Camilo Vargas simply said.
Bad background
Colombia and Romania have faced each other three times, with two wins for the Europeans and one draw. The first match was at the 94 World Cup in the United States, and there Romania beat the Colombia of Oscar Córdoba, ‘Pibe’ Valderrama, Freddy Rincón, Leonel Álvarez and Faustino Asprilla, 3-1, among others.
In the following World Cup, France 98, they would meet again, and once again the victory was for the Romanians 1-0 against a Colombia whose team featured Faryd Mondragón, Jorge Bermúdez, José Fernando Santa, Evert Palacios, Wílmer Cabrera , Harold Lozano, Mauricio ‘Chicho’ Serna, Freddy Rincón, Carlos Valderrama, Faustino Asprilla and Víctor Aristizábal..
The third and last duel was a friendly: on May 27, 2006 they met in Chicago, drawing 0-0. Colombia was directed by Valle del Cauca coach Reinaldo Rueda and had players of the caliber of Óscar Córdoba, Amaranto Perea, Freddy Guarín and Hugo Rodallega.
