I do not assume both Jamaica or Colombia imagined they’d discover themselves the place they each have been on Tuesday. Jamaica got here into this World Cup with actual expertise but additionally a troublesome group and no historical past of match success. They could have hoped they’d make it to the spherical of 16, however they most likely would not have anticipated to. Colombia, with a extra spectacular match historical past and a extra manageable group, had motive to presume their passage to the knockout rounds. However, upon getting there, the Cafeteras most likely did not assume they’d accomplish that as group winners and thus as spherical of 16 favorites in opposition to a workforce like Jamaica.
Due to that, Tuesday’s Jamaica-Colombia matchup within the Candy 16 featured two groups that did not appear particularly ready for the problem in entrance of them. If types make fights, then this was one between two counter-punchers. Neither actually likes it when the opponent does not take the initiative, at the least not in large matches, the place they each are extra accustomed to the reactive, underdog function. And including to the counter-punchers’ common hesitance to opening themselves up, Jamaica and Colombia each additionally knew that this was a novel alternative: a World Cup knockout match that both of them may very nicely win.
You could possibly really feel the undercurrent of all this in the course of the match, within the first half particularly. Colombia and Jamaica have been very cautious in feeling one another out within the early goings. The opening 45 minutes had emotional verve, depth, and a few large swings in each instructions as every workforce tried to attain a knockout with only one punch, however little coordination and construction. It made for a sport that was extra compelling than well-played.
However the groups got here out within the second half a little bit extra assured and with an eye fixed on profitable. Jamaica needed to observe the technique that had gotten them this far: defending deep and stridently, conceding possession, countering shortly after they obtained the ball, and normally attempting to keep away from dropping in hopes of ultimately snatching a win. Colombia did not play alongside. The Powerpuff Ladies, I imagine each out of the aforementioned discomfort with taking the initiative and as a tactical option to wrong-foot the Reggae Girlz, mirrored Jamaica’s sport plan by granting possession to their opponent and ready for probabilities for quick, direct assaults. Due to this, the 2 groups cut up possession evenly in the course of the match (essentially the most possession Jamaica had all match), and neither may or actually even tried to train any explicit order or management on the sample of the match.
With out an excessive amount of assist structurally, and with each groups enjoying it comparatively secure, the match was all the time more likely to come right down to particular person high quality. Khadija Shaw is Jamaica’s standout participant within the technical sense, however Jamaica’s incapability to construct assaults aside from by knocking the ball as much as their remoted striker and hoping she may make one thing occur meant Shaw needed to focus an excessive amount of on attempting to maintain the ball and never sufficient on how she may use it to attain. Colombia, in the meantime, has a number of gamers blessed with distinctive method and associative high quality, and they also proved a much bigger menace each time their attackers obtained free. Certain sufficient, Colombia ultimately scored the match’s lone purpose with a few beautiful technical gestures: first, the deliciously thumped cross-field go from 18-year-old Ana Guzmán, after which Catalina Usme’s much more spectacular management, which turned Guzmán’s bullet right into a pillow, and the cool end to raise it previous the Jamaican keeper and into the aspect netting.
Even down a purpose, Jamaica had a tough time being proactive with the ball. After scoring Colombia was much more decided to disclaim Jamaica large, open areas, with out which Jamaica seemed like a fish with out water. The Reggae Girlz had a pair probabilities, the perfect of which was an open header that Drew Spence despatched simply the incorrect aspect of the purpose submit, however aside from that by no means seemed too near an equalizer.
In the meantime Colombia’s tiny technicians continued to torture Jamaica’s again line. Mayra Ramírez was glorious but once more along with her holdup play, inflicting Jamaica’s stalwart central protection tons of bother as she vacated the central areas and went looking for, hiding, and passing the ball the place the opponents could not get to it. For her half, wonderkid Linda Caicedo had a largely quiet sport—most likely the one factor protecting her from fixed, match-dominating omnipotence is her penchant for laying too low for lengthy stretches of play—which naturally meant she nonetheless pulled off one of many sport’s most spectacular sequences. Have a look at how she sizes up Allyson Swaby—who’s been top-of-the-line defenders of the entire match—as Swaby is decided to not let Caicedo reduce inside, however Caicedo retains her off steadiness, takes a contact that provides the looks that she has determined to go outdoors, and with a single, perfectly-timed contact again the opposite route turns Swaby’s cleats into curler skates. From there, Caicedo cuts inside unhindered, and pops in a shot that, mercifully for the fallen Swaby, soars over the purpose body:
With Usme’s purpose, Ramírez’s holdup play, Caicedo’s flashes of dazzling talent, Jorelyn Carabalí’s wrangling of Shaw, and Catalina Pérez’s sound goalkeeping, Colombia managed to see out Jamaica, 1-0. Subsequent on the docket is England on Saturday. The Lionesses, normally (however not all the time) one of the game-controlling groups on the earth, will pose Colombia a a lot completely different problem than Jamaica did. Nevertheless it’ll even be a problem that Colombia shall be extra snug with. England might dictate the tempo, however Colombia will endure and endure, ready for a gap by which they will land an enormous uppercut—simply the best way they prefer it.
