Colombia Scrambles for November Amiable After Nigeria Match Falls Through
Colombia’s national team is actively pursuing choice opponents for a FIFA-scheduled friendly match in November, following the collapse of a planned game against Nigeria. Colombian Football Federation president Ramón Vélez revealed the federation is prioritizing matches against strong African competition, specifically targeting either Ivory Coast or Egypt.
Vélez emphasized the desire for a challenging opponent, stating, “Either. The most serious, Ivory Coast or Egypt. Either of the two would be vrey good. If one of the two is not possible, they would have to turn to any rival, except cape Verde.” The November fixture serves as crucial preparation for the national team ahead of the World Cup draw on December 5th, offering a valuable opportunity for competitive match practice.
Colombia has only faced Ivory coast once previously, a 2-1 victory for Los Cafeteros at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil on June 18th. Matches against Egypt have been limited to two friendlies: a 1-1 draw on May 26, 1990, and a scoreless tie on June 1, 2018.
Beyond the African options, Vélez indicated exploration of European contenders, acknowledging the difficulty of securing matches against top-tier teams. “With the options of Italy and Belgium completely eliminated, he has explored others. apart from the aforementioned Portugal, there is croatia. That is not closed, it is not simple,” Vélez said. The federation is working to finalize a suitable opponent as quickly as possible to maintain momentum in the team’s World Cup preparations.
