Chile and Colombia both came away from last year's World Cup with their heads held high. Chile had reached the second round, just as they did in 2006. Outside 1962, which they hosted, it was Chile's best-ever tournament performance and with a famous victory over Spain, plus a perhaps unfortunate exit to the hosts on penalties, there were grounds for the belief that 2014 had been better than 2010. It's true that there were some warning signs on the horizon -- who will replace the current generation when time catches up with Alexis Sanchez and Co. for example -- but the current group seemed to have one more four-year cycle left in them.
Colombia could be even more content. They had reached the quarterfinals for the first time. James Rodriguez had exploded as the star of the tournament and with an exciting young generation of attacking talent, the future seemed bright. A year and a bit later, though, these two teams have taken very different paths on the way to Thursday's meeting in Santiago, the third round of the 2018 qualification campaign.
Chile have gone from strength to strength. At last they have a senior title, having won the Copa America on home soil at the start of July. And fears that this triumph would leave them jaded were swiftly quashed when the World Cup qualifiers got underway. A morale-boosting win over Brazil, their bogey team in recent times, was followed by an exhilarating victory away to Peru.
Colombia, meanwhile, have taken the low road. The Copa America was a huge disappointment; though their lively travelling army of fans revelled in the team's victory over Brazil, Jeison Murillo's strike was the only goal they managed in four games. Their poor form continued in the qualifiers. Colombia were somewhat fortunate to beat Peru 2-0 in the opening round and were then put in their place by Uruguay, who won 3-0 in Montevideo without both Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. Afterwards, there was an internet campaign proposing the recall of World Cup captain and centre back Mario Yepes, who is approaching 40. Almost 40 percent of voters declared themselves in favour.
Perhaps the team did look rudderless but there were bigger problems to address than centre-back. The midfield lacked cohesion, unusually for a team coached by Jose Pekerman, an Argentine who usually fashions such pleasing passing sides. There is even speculation that Pekerman could be on his way out. The man who hired him, Luis Bedoya, has abruptly announced his resignation as Colombia's FA president, and some feel that this could cause Pekerman to throw in the towel after next Tuesday's match at home to Argentina.
But if he is to go, he will want to do it with a bang, first against the continental champions and then the land of his birth. He has rung the changes in his squad -- the talented Carlos Carbonero of Sampdoria could be an interesting addition to knit the midfield together. Up front there are recalls for the versatile Adrian Ramos, the barrel-chested Luis Fernando Muriel and a first call up for Felipe Pardo, a strong and interesting wide forward who's currently doing well with Olympiakos in the Champions League.
Maybe Pekerman believes Pardo could be a useful weapon against a Chile side that love to throw the full backs forward. So if these games do mark the end of the Pekerman era, Colombia will also hope that they can put the team back on the path to glory that they appeared to be walking in the 2014 World Cup.