By Rizwan Rehmat
HAMILTON: South American heavyweights Colombia made the most of a goalkeeping gaffe to edge a feisty Qatar 1-0 in the opening Group C match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup yesterday.
Colombian midfielder Joao Rodriguez scored for the South Americans in the 24th minute when Qatari goalkeeper Hassan Yousof allowed a close-range shot to slip through his legs.
Qatar, who are making a comeback to the FIFA U-20 World Cup after 20 years, otherwise impressed with inspirational captain Ahmad Moein and Austria-based striker Jassim Al Jalabi making penetrating runs and forward Akram Afif running Colombian defenders ragged with his sublime moves.
Meanwhile, the Qatari defenders kept Deportivo striker Santos Borre in check for most of the second half in which neither team could score a goal despite a series of attacks against each other.
Yesterday’s victory ensured that Colombia kept their unbeaten streak against an Asian side in U-20 games intact. Their record now stands at seven wins and two draws in nine games.
A big crowd braved chilly conditions at the Waikato Stadium here to watch yesterday’s high-octane encounter, the first between the two sides at this age group.
Soon after the final whistle, Qatar’s Spanish coach Felix Sanchez hugged some of his players.
“It was a tough match against a good side. We played well but luck deserted us. We could have easily got the draw,” Sanchez said, adding: “It was a high-quality game.”
Colombian coach Carlos Alberto Restrepo said: “It was an equal game. We weren’t that attacking upfront. We do have to get better.”
“We have to improve every aspect of our game. We are doing it right but we have to get organised. We didn’t do well in the second half and this is not how we play,” he said.
Yesterday’s Group C slugfest kicked off on a promising note for Qatar as midfielder Afif broke free in the first minute, but the 18-year-old lost the ball inside the Colombian box.
Five minutes into the game, Qatari midfielder Assim Madibo was ordered off the pitch with a nose-bleed but the 18-year-old soon returned with cotton wool stuffed up his nostrils.
In the 10th minute, match hero Rodriguez curled in a well-taken free-kick from the left flank but defender Abdou Serigne jumped high to head the ball away.
Qatar — playing in white jerseys and shorts — won their first corner in the 14th minute but the Colombian defence stayed strong and rebuffed the challenge.
Four minutes later, Colombia missed their first serious attempt at goal when Italy-based midfielder Alexis Zapata lost his footing close to the Qatari goal.
A few minutes later, Qatari skipper Moein picked up a yellow card for a reckless infringement that eventually resulted in the only goal of the match.
After collecting a loose ball, striker Borre picked out a charging Rodriguez near the Qatari box and without hesitating he slotted the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Yousof.
Six minutes before the first-half whistle, Yousof made up for his earlier gaffe by keeping out Zapata’s close-range shot with an excellent effort. Two minutes later, the goalkeeper was in the thick of it again when he thwarted a Rodriguez missile.
Yousof made another important save in injury time.
After a sluggish start to the second half, Qatar nearly equalised in the 52nd minute but tireless forward Al Jalabi missed the target from close range.
Five minutes later, Qatari midfielder Ahmed Al Sadi fired in a powerful shot after a goalmouth melee but his ferocious shot was blocked by Colombian goalkeeper Alvaro Montero.
“We are happy to have picked up three points,” Montero, who is without a club, said. “It is important to start an event such as this with a win.”
Qatar and Colombia continued to trade blows and in the 80th minute, Qatar’s 19-year-old midfielder Al Sadi connected with a left-footed flick that narrowly missed the target.
A minute later Qatar substitute Sultan Al Kuwari hoodwinked
his marker and quickly slipped one past goalkeeper Montero
but his shot went agonizingly wide.
Colombia managed to hold on in the tense final minutes as Qatar mounted a flurry of attacks.
Qatar next play Portugal on June 3 and then Senegal three days later. The Asian champions will play all of their group matches at the Waikato Stadium.
THE PENINSULA
