Photography: Felipe Echeverría - Santiago Barcacel
The wait is over, and Colombia did not disappoint. In a spectacular debut, the Colombian team made it clear that they are a force to be reckoned with in the VIII FIFUSA Futsal World Cup, crushing the United States 7-0 at the Bicentenario Coliseum in Bucaramanga.
From the first whistle, the Colombian team showed their hunger for victory and didn't take long to open the scoring. At 15:05, Daniel Rojas (#13) received a great assist from Daniel Bentancur (#11) and made it 1-0, igniting the crowd in the coliseum.
Shortly after, Kewin Ariza (#7) increased the lead at 11:10, with another key pass from Rojas. The Colombian dominance was absolute, and the constant pressure paid off when, in an unfortunate play, Esaleh (#7) from the United States scored an own goal in the 19th minute, putting Colombia comfortably ahead 3-0.
When it seemed like the first half would end there, Kewin Ariza (#7) shone again, scoring his second goal with just 10 seconds left before the break, assisted by Carlos Colmenares (#10), leaving the score at 4-0.
Far from being satisfied with the lead, Colombia came out in the second half determined to close the match with authority. Bryan Ángel (#9) scored at 18:40, after a great play by Rojas, who was pivotal in the team's collective play. Daniel Rojas (#13) appeared again in the 13th minute, extending the lead to a commanding 6-0.
The finishing touch came from Alexis Sánchez (#6) at 6:25, once again with an assist from Colmenares. With this 7-0 win, Colombia left the United States with no answers, delivering a debut performance that has their fans dreaming of reaching the top.
The team not only excelled in attack but also showed defensive solidity. Although Daniel Bentancur (#11) was booked at 6:44, the Colombian squad maintained total control of the game and kept a clean sheet.
FIFUSA Press