The Colombian national team defeated Israel 1-2 this Sunday after starting losing and added their first three points in Group C of the U-20 World Cup, which is being held in Argentina.
A great goal from captain Gustavo Puerta at the 90th minute sealed the victory for the South Americans, who had goalkeeper Luis Marquinez as their standout player.
Prior to that, Oscar Cortés equalized the game by converting a penalty well sanctioned by the match referee after consulting VAR.
A powerful shot from Dor Tugeman that found a good response from Marquinez became the first dangerous play of the game at the eighth minute.
Applauded by the thousands of Colombian fans who came to the stadium in the city of La Plata, the number 1 began to leave his mark on the field.
Towards the end of the first half, when Israel generated two clear opportunities through Tay Abed, Marquinez silenced the number 15's shot with a sensational save.
Before and after a good play by Roy Revivo, the midfielder failed when the goalkeeper and the defense could do nothing to prevent the first goal.
On the other side, led by Héctor Cárdenas, the team attacked the wings and there Yaser Asprilla stood out, creating the most dangerous plays for the defense led by Stav Lemkim.
At the beginning of the second half, goalkeeper Tomer Tzarfati shone by emulating his counterpart with a spectacular save against a shot from Captain Gustavo Puerta.
At that moment, and when it seemed that Colombia would control the game, a play by Israel on the left side turned into a penalty after a foul by Édier Ocampo inside the box.
At the 56th minute, Tugeman took responsibility and broke the wall built by Marquinez to make it 1-0.
Colombia went on the attack and didn't take long to find their reward. A handball by Ilay Feingold inside the box resulted in a penalty that Cortés converted into a goal in the 74th minute of the game.
Another great save from Marquinez and an incredible miss by the Colombian attack could have turned the result in favor of one side or the other.
At the 90th minute, just when it seemed like the match would end in a draw, a powerful shot from Captain Puerta left the Israeli goalkeeper with no chance and sealed Colombia's 1-2 victory.
With information from EFE.
When does Colombia vs. Israel play?
The match will be played on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at La Plata stadium.
Colombia vs. Israel: match schedules
The game will kick off at 13:00 hours in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. On the other hand, in countries such as Bolivia, Chile, Venezuela, the United States, and Paraguay, it will be seen from 14:00 hours. Finally, in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, the game will start at 15:00 hours.
Where to watch Colombia vs. Israel?
The broadcasting channel responsible for the transmission in Colombia is RCN Nuestra Tele and GOL Caracol TV, while in the rest of South America it will be shown on the international channel DIRECTV Sports.
Colombia's fixture in the U-20 World Cup
- Wednesday, May 24, Colombia vs. Japan at La Plata Stadium, 4:00 p.m. (Colombian time)
- Saturday, May 27, Colombia vs. Senegal at La Plata Stadium, 4:00 p.m. (Colombian time)