June 15 (Reuters) – Colombia beat Bolivia 3-0 on Saturday in the last preparation match between the two teams before the start of the Copa América in the United States, a victory that allowed the coffee team to increase its undefeated record to 23 games. without losing, including 20 in the era of Argentine coach Néstor Lorenzo.
The game was played at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut, before about 40,000 spectators.
Colombia largely dominated the game in the first half against a weak Bolivia that never worried Lorenzo’s team.
The Colombian team showed its soccer power with good collective ball handling, front changes, speed and individuality in the midfield and attack lines.
Colombia opened the scoring in the fifth minute through Jhon Arias, who recovered a ball that bounced inside the area and with his right foot pushed it into the back of the net of the goal defended by goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra.
Midfielder James Rodríguez, one of Colombia’s most prominent figures, completed 100 caps for his country’s national team in the game against Bolivia.
Colombia increased the score in the 25th minute with a goal from Jhon Córdoba that he received with his back inside the area, he turned and with his right leg connected the ball to the bottom of the Bolivian goal.
Before the end of the first half, in the 41st minute, forward Luis Díaz received the ball inside the area, eluded two Bolivian defenders and embedded it into the rival goal with his right foot.
In the second half, Colombia maintained control of the ball and the game, while Bolivia tried without success to reach the rival area.
The Colombian team, with the score in its favor, slowed down its football production, but without giving Bolivia an advantage.
A violent foul by Bolivian Héctor Cuellar on Luis Díaz caused a brawl on the field in which César Menacho, from the Verde, and Daniel Muñoz from the Tricolor were expelled.
Before the match against Bolivia, the Colombian coach announced that midfielder Sebastián Gómez, from Coritiba in Brazil, and defender Yerson Mosquera, from Villarreal in Spain, were excluded from the final list of 26 players to compete in the Copa América that begins on next Thursday in the United States.
Colombia, in Group D, will face Brazil, Paraguay and Costa Rica in the oldest national team tournament in the world and the most important in America.
Bolivia, in Group C, will play against the United States, Uruguay and Panama.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta)
