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Late goal lifts Colombia 1-0
Preciado goal in 83rd minute beats Tunisia
Posted: Monday June 22, 1998 02:40 PM
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Carlos Valderrama (10) helped Colombia pick up an important three points with the win (AP) |
MONTPELLIER, France (AP) --
Substitute Leider Preciado fired the winner seven minutes from the end as
Colombia,
who limped home in dismay from World Cup 1994, stayed in contention for the
second round of France '98 with a nervous 1-0 victory over Tunisia.
Preciado took a pass from veteran Carlos Valderrama, shook off challenges
from Sami Trabelsi and Clayton, and prodded the ball home from 12
yards.
It was a goal that sent the Colombian players and bench into wild
celebration while the dismayed Tunisians, also beaten 2-0 by England, looked
almost certain to drop out of the championship.
With Faustino Asprilla no longer on the squad having been dropped for
criticizing coach Herman Dario Gomez in a radio interview, the Colombian
attack was missing one of its biggest stars as it maintained its bid to
make the second round.
But Adolfo Valencia almost gave the South Americans the lead in the opening
when he collected a slick pass from Freddy Rincon, only for a back-tracking
Tunisian to block his 16-yard drive.
At the other end, Skander Souayah moved into a wide open shooting position
outside the Colombian penalty area but shot tamely wide.
Souayeh had another chance in the 18th minute from a similar position but
still shot wide of the post.
The Colombians were denied the lead by a wonder save from Chokri el-Oauer
in the 22nd minute when Jose Santa floated over a cross from the left and
Wilmer Cabrera moved up to power in a long-range header. The Tunisian
'keeper reacted with an acrobatic one-handed punch over the bar.
Four minutes later the 'keeper raced off his line to block an angled shot
from Anthony De Avila with his foot after the Colombian had broken clear of
the Tunisian defense.
With the Clombians showing signs of getting on top, Tunisia broke out to
almost take the lead in the 29th minute when the unmarked Mehdi Ben Slimane
was allowed a far post far post header. Fortunately for the South
Americans, 'keeper Farid Mondragon was alert and pushed the header onto the
post.
Valencia maintained the pressure by firing a 25-yard shot just too high and
then heading against the post from a corner. But Tunisia also hit the bar
two minutes before halftime when Mondragon fisted away a corner, the ball
hit Bouazizi on the back of the head and rebounded onto the frame.
The Tunisians went close to taking the lead 10 minutes into the second half
when Souayah fed Ben Slimane in front of goal but Mondragon managed to
block his shot with his legs.
Ben Slimane wriggled through the Colombian defense again two minutes later
but Mondragon and a defender managed to scrambled the ball for a
corner.
The Tunisians continued to create the better chances and Bel Slimane
managed to get in a right-wing cross despite being crowded out by three
Colombian defenders in the 66th minute only for the unmarked Zoubeir Baya
to volley wide from a good position in front of goal.
The Colombians hit back with a low shot from substitute Preciado that
flashed across the face of the Tunisian goal. Then Victor Aristizabal
arrived unmarked at the far post to meet a right wing cross from Anthony De
Avila only for 'keeper El-Oauer to scramble back and palm his looping
header away.
At the other end, Mondragon made two reflex-action saves, blocking a header
from Souayah and then a follow up effort from Ben Slimane.
Lineups:
Tunisia: Chokri el-Oauer; Tarek Thabet (Kaies Godhbane, 77th), Ferid
Chouchane, Clayton, Sami Trabelsi; Riadh Bouazizi, Serajeddine Chichi,
Skandr Souayah, Zoubeir Baya (Faycal Ben Ahmed, 74th); Adel Sellimi (Imed
Ben Younes, 69th), Mehdi Ben Slimane.
Colombia: Farid Mondragon; Wilmer Cabrera, Everth Palacios, Jose Santa,
Jorge Bermudez; Harold Lozano, Freddy Rincon (Victor Aristizabal, 57th),
Carlos Valderrama, Mauricio Serna (Jorge Bolano, 62nd); Adolfo Valencia
(Leider Preciado, 57th), Anthony De Avila.
Referee: Bernd Heynemann, Germany.
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