It’s October 2023, and South America’s elite are within the throes of the third spherical of World Cup qualifiers. Within the searing afternoon warmth of Barranquilla, Colombia, the hosts go into the closing levels of their match main Uruguay by two targets to at least one.
Uruguay had been overwhelmed of their earlier sport, away to Ecuador, and are actually on the verge of a second straight defeat. The knives are already being quietly being sharpened for brand spanking new coach Marcelo Bielsa. He has pressured by means of a generational change within the nationwide workforce, and a few within the Uruguayan press are sad that he has discarded two legends of La Celeste, Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani. The brand new centre-forward Darwin Núñez has but to attain within the marketing campaign however, within the 91st minute, Uruguay are awarded a penalty. It is a huge second.
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Up steps Núñez, who nervelessly blasts the ball into the highest left nook; the sport ends in a 2-2 draw, and Uruguay are on their means. Just a few days later Núñez is unstoppable, scoring one and making the opposite as Uruguay see off Brazil, 2-0, in one of the vital commanding victories they’ve ever loved towards their large neighbour. The next month he races away behind the line of defense to seal a memorable 2-0 win away to Argentina, and he follows that up with two targets in a 3-0 rout of Bolivia.
In Uruguay’s first two matches of the Copa América, Núñez finds the web towards each Panama and Bolivia. In a run of six aggressive video games, he has helped himself to seven targets, and his worldwide report now stands at a completely respectable 13 targets in 27 video games. True, as Liverpool followers will testify, he may be irritating. Núñez has missed loads of possibilities on this Copa. He may be wasteful. Typically he shoots when he ought to move and passes when he ought to shoot.
However Núñez’s all-action, dynamic type is a superb match with the soccer that Bielsa needs to play and, with two wingers to maintain him provided, the probabilities ought to maintain coming. Suarez is again within the squad. However to date, he has solely made a few very transient appearances off the bench. He seems to be round as a lot for his expertise as anything. There isn’t any doubt as to who leads the Uruguay assault.
That penalty in Barranquilla was the second when Núñez got here of age as Uruguay’s centre-forward. And it was additionally an vital afternoon for one more of the primary names of this Copa América — the person who stands between Núñez and Uruguay and a spot in Sunday’s last.
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Colombia’s failure to make the 2022 World Cup might need marked the top of the worldwide profession of James Rodríguez. He was a part of the sorry course of. In an astonishing run of seven video games and not using a single aim, he performed within the final 4 of them. His membership profession was shifting in ever lowering circles, ending up (in the interim) unloved and unused in Brazil. However new nationwide workforce coach Nestor Lorenzo nonetheless believed, and tentatively introduced him again into the squad. Within the first two rounds of World Cup qualifiers Rodríguez got here off the bench within the second half.
Towards Uruguay in Barranquilla, he began. And although the match ended with Núñez banging in a penalty, it started with Rodríguez volleying Colombia into the lead. Come the top of the sport he had proved that no matter was taking place along with his membership, Rodríguez nonetheless had a future for his nation.
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And now the 2 gamers meet once more this Wednesday in North Carolina — completely different stars, completely different sides, completely different virtues however equally vital.
Núñez is the bringer of chaos, all unpredictable strapping intuition and never-say-die bustling dedication. Rodríguez is cerebral, nearly a throwback to days when the tempo of the sport was slower and the old school No. 10 had time and house to work his magic. If Rodríguez has time and house, it’s as a result of he’s sufficiently clever to create it — one of many moments of the match was Colombia’s opening aim towards Paraguay, when he checked, gained half a yard on the defender and chipped a move to the far put up that took out the complete opposing defence.
However Rodríguez additionally depends on the construction that his teammates present. Colombia disguise him, let him wander to search out pockets of house. To make this work, the opposite three midfielders have to be diligent and organised, and Uruguay’s dynamism on this sector will put them to the check.
Equally, Núñez wants his teammates to be on his wavelength. He needs Federico Valverde and Nicolás de la Cruz to present him defence-splitting passes from midfield, and he thrives on wingers Facundo Pellistri and Maxi Araújo getting around the again of the opposing full-backs to present him a cross that he can assault.
Again in October in Barranquilla the day belonged to each Núñez and Rodríguez. That can’t occur in Charlotte. That is knockout soccer, and the glory can’t be shared.