Colombia thrashed Poland, to the tune of 3-0, in the two sides’ must-win game in Group H play at the 2018 World Cup on Sunday, getting goals from Yerry Mina, Radamel Falcao and Juan Cuadrado to leave their destiny in their own hands ahead of Thursday’s decisive group finale against Senegal.
Poland have been eliminated with one group game still to play.
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Colombia could have scored two or three goals in the first half, with Cuadrado and Juan Quintero causing constant problems for the left side of the Polish defense, but the necessary finishing touch was consistently lacking until Mina headed home a James Rodriguez cross in the 40th minute.
#MundialTelemundo Así lo narró 🎙️ @AndresCantorGOL : ¡Llega el primero de #COL! Un bonito centro de @jamesdrodriguez que hace que Yerry Mina se eleve para rematar de cabeza #POL 0-1 #COL pic.twitter.com/Gw8NKw7UmS
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018
Poland offered very little, both before or after Mina’s opener, as Robert Lewandowski was effectively contained with the vast majority of his touches coming 30 yards from goal and further out. After disappointing in their tournament-opening loss to Senegal, manager Adam Nawalka made a handful of changes to his lineup — dropping the likes of Arkadiusz Milik, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Kamil Grosicki — to no avail.
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Despite the scoreline remaining 1-0 for the first 25 minutes of the first half, Poland never looked threatening and were put to the sword by Falcao’s first career World Cup goal (missed the 2014 tournament due to a knee injury), courtesy of Quintero’s seeing-eye through ball.
#MundialTelemundo Lo buscó y lo encontró ¡Su PRIMERA ANOTACIÓN en una Copa del Mundo! @FALCAO definió con una gran técnica individual el segundo gol de #COL ante #POL pic.twitter.com/V6exvpXphv
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018
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James played provider five minutes later, when he slotted what might just be the pass of the tournament across the field, across the Polish defense, and found a streaking Cuadrado with acres of space in front of him. From one end of the field to the other, in no time at all.
#MundialTelemundo ¡Ya es goleada con aroma a café! @Cuadrado aumenta la ventaja para su #COL ante #POL tras una gran asistencia de @jamesdrodriguez pic.twitter.com/OnZo0cgO0q
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018
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When Colombia (3 points) meet Senegal (4 points) on Thursday, they’ll need a win to overtake them for second place, or for Poland (0 points) to beat Japan (4 points), who currently sit top of the group — but that seems highly unlikely at this point.