Colombia 2 - Cote d'Ivoire 1

Photo by Christopher Lee

Brasilia was the site for the top of the table clash between Colombia and Cote d'Ivoire. Both teams were choosing their spots carefully in the beginning of the match, too scared to leave space at the back to be exploited by the other's speedsters in attack. Didier Zokora was a man possessed in central defense for Cote d'Ivoire, cutting out three such counterattacks all by himself in the first period. Just before the half hour mark, Colombia created a golden chance through the play of right winger Juan Cuadrado, who laid off a ball for James Rodriguez. Rodriguez gave a rolling ball to a spot eight yards from goal, but Teofilo Gutierrez got his feet all wrong and scuffed the chance. Serge Aurier nearly created a goal out of nothing for Les Elephants. He intercepted a pass out from Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina and then had a shot off a give-and-go, but Ospina redeemed himself with a save. The ball never left the Colombian half of the field in the final five minutes. The first half ended as it began: with no score.

Zokora took a yellow card early in the second period, meaning that he will be suspended for Cote d'Ivoire's group finale. Max Gradel was nearly in on goal for Cote d'Ivoire, but Colombian centerback and oldest field player at Brasil 2014 Mario Yepes make a last-ditch tackle to prevent a scoring chance. Cuadrado was a monster down the right flank, and he nearly scored from an obtuse angle, but Cote d'Ivoire goalkeeper Boubacar Barry tipped the ball enough for it to scream of a post and away. Souleymane Bamba did not communicate well with Zokora on a simple ball rolling toward the Ivoirian goal. Bamba ran into Zokora and cleared the ball out for a corner kick. Colombia capitalized on this error. Cuadrado's corner kick found a streaking Rodriguez, who defeated the dual markers of Zokora and Didier Drogba to win the header and score the opener. Barely six minutes later, Rodriguez stripped Serey Die at the back and passed immediately to Gutierrez on the counter. Gutierrez pushed across the goal for a tap in by Juan Quintero, who used the opportunity to score his first international goal and put Colombia ahead 2-0. Gervinho used a moment of individual brilliance to cut the deficit. He pulled off a slaloming run from the left flank that left four Colombian defenders in his wake before unleashing a rocket into the net. Colombia were able to hold on during a nerve-racking final quarter hour and change to capture the victory. Colombia win 2-1 and are sitting pretty atop the Group C table.

Colombia 6 pts +4
Cote d'Ivoire 3 pts 0
Japan 0 pts -1
Greece 0 pts -3

Goals
Colombia
James Rodriguez 64
Quintero 70

Cote d'Ivoire
Gervinho 73

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.us/blog/the-match/60/post/1895161/colombia-prove-one-of-the-world-cups-most-entertaining-sides
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2014/m=6/news=colombia-edge-cote-d-ivoire-near-knockout-stages-2377058.html

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186468/index.html