In Barranquilla, at the Roberto Meléndez Metropolitan Stadium, one of the most notable matches of date 12 of the South American Qualifiers is taking place and is vital in the race to get a ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 20, Colombia seeks to climb to the top of the standings in its match against Ecuador. As an extra condiment, there is also a confrontation between Argentine strategists: Néstor Lorenzo versus Sebastián Beccacece. The referee is the Uruguayan Esteban Ostojich and will be televised by DSports.
The coffee growers, led by Néstor Lorenzo, have not yet confirmed whether James Rodríguez will start, since the San Pablo midfielder is still being evaluated after a physical improvement compared to the previous game. “James has been evolving favorably. It’s better than the previous game, but we’ll see how it goes.”explained the DT at a press conference.
When comparing James Rodríguez with Juan Fernando Quintero, Lorenzo highlighted that both have unique but equally valuable qualities. “They have mental speed, in the resolution of the play, and they have extensive punch,” he commented. Regarding tactical decisions, he admitted that they are not always perfect: “There is a thin line between one player and another. “As a coach you can make mistakes.”
For his part, Johan Mojica, Mallorca’s full-back, assured that the 3-2 defeat against Uruguay in Montevideo left a mark on the team. “We have blood in our eye, but we change the chip. We cannot be filled with rage because it blinds us; We must maintain football harmony to face this challenge,” he stated. With this result, Colombia was left with 19 units and was reached in second place by the Celeste (visit to Brazil). Both teams are three behind Argentina (they receive Peru).
Ecuador, with Sebastián Beccacece at the helm, comes into the match after a draw against Venezuela that places it fifth in the table with 16 points. The Argentine coach praised his rival, highlighting his offensive quality and solidity in all lines, but he also trusted his team’s ability to compete. “Colombia has dangerous forwards, wingers who project well and a midfield with a lot of history. But I also believe in Ecuador’s passion and intensity to seek to position itself alongside elite teams like Argentina, Brazil and Colombia,” said the former Defensa y Justicia.
The coach also highlighted the connection between his young players and the fans, a relationship that he considers fundamental in this growth process. Despite the absences due to injury to Ángelo Preciado and Leonardo Campana, El Tri will recover Moisés Caicedo, a key piece in the midfield.
Both casts are back in action for the South American Qualifiers in March. In that window Ecuador will host Venezuela and visit Chile, while Colombia will go to Brazil’s home and is home to Paraguay.
Trainings:
Colombia: Camilo Vargas; Daniel Muñoz, Davison Sánchez, John Lucumí, Johan Mojica; Richard Ríos, Juan Portilla, John Arias; James Rodriguez; Luis Díaz and John Durán. DT: Nestor Lorenzo.
Ecuador: Hernán Galindez; Joel Ordóñez, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié, Pervis Estupiñán; Moisés Caicedo, Gonzalo Plata, Alan Franco, Pedro Vite, Alan Minda; Enner Valencia. DT: Sebastián Beccacece.
Estadio: Metropolitan Roberto Melendez
Arbitrator: Esteban Ostojich (Uruguay)
OUR: Andrés Cunha (Uruguay)
Television: DSports
Position table:
