Colombia debut with a win against Ecuador

Colombia open their account in Group B with a 1-0 win against Ecuador in a very tight encounter. The only goal of the the game was scored by Edwin Cardona following a really intricately worked freekick.

Both keeps came out looking to impose themselves on the game but niether was able to take control or play with their usual style. The first half was filled with plenty of even sparring but very few clear chances or openings.

In the first half Gustavo Alfaro’s side looked to the quality of Jhegson Méndez who controlled the midfield and was key for Ecuador in the first 45 minutes.

Despite playing with two consistently prolific strikers in South American football, Miguel Borja of Junior and River Plate’s Rafael Santos Borré, Colombia found it difficult to create openings.

With that said it is perhaps unsurprising that the goal came from a set piece but what a set piece it was.

Edwin Cardona played it short to Cuadrado and the pair exchanged passes before Cuadrado lifted beyond the outrushing Ecuador defense to Borja who knocked it down to the forward darting Cardona to finish with a measured volley.

A spectacular way to open the scoring in what had been an edgy, uneventful half.

https://twitter.com/CopaAmerica/status/1404242113743802368

In the second half Colombia allowed Ecuador to take control of possession and looked to defend their advantage.

Ángelo Preciado and Pervis Estupiñán often provided the greatest threat breaking forward from from wide areas at pace while Enner Valencia. Despite Ecuadorian probing, Colombia’s defense remained solid with Wilmar Barrios key in front of the back four and David Ospina in impressive form.

Colombia’s next game will be on Thursday 17 June against Venezuela while Ecuador will be the side with the rest day during the next round of Group B fixtures.

The numbers from the game

• This is Colombia’s eigth consecutive victory against Ecuador in the Copa America (6 without conceding a goal). It has been 58 years since the last time Ecuador beat Colombia in the compeititon, a 4-3 win back in 1963.

• Colombia have lost only 2 of their last 14 games in the Copa America (8 wins and 4 draws). Both defeats came in 2016, firstly against Costa Rica (2-3) and then Chile (0-2).

• Colombia only had 5 shots on goal against Ecuador, their second lowest total in the last 4 editions of the Copa America. Their lowest total came against Argentina in 2015 when the game finished 0-0.

• Ecuador has 58.4% of possession in the game which is their second highest in the last four editions of the Copa America. The highest was a remarkable 73.3% in a 3-2 defeat against Bolivia in 2015.

• Edwin Cardona scored his first goal in his fourth Copa America tournament. This was the Boca midfielder’s first goal since a friendly against Spain in June 2016. This was his sixth goal for the national team.

• This was the first time in his career that Miguel Borja has directly participated in goals in consecutive games for the Colombian national team. He scored against Argentina in last week’s qualifier and set up Cardona with a header against Ecuador.

• The last time Colombia won 1-0 against Ecuador was at the 2001 Copa America which los cafeteros would go on to win for the first and only time in their history.

Data: OPTA