Pre-match: 2026 World Cup (Group K): Colombia vs. Uzbekistan (6/17/26 – Wednesday – 10 PM EST)

Our opening match. I genuinely think that not only a convincing win is needed, but we need to normalize clean sheets; we will not get far if we do not maintain discipline and not fall asleep when we aren't losing.

That type of shit needs to stop and against Jordan hopefully boosted the morale and confidence to keep clean sheets. And just winning our last two friendlies clearly helped us recover the harsh losses against France and Croatia.

 

Chile won 2 copa Americas with 5’8 center backs getting scored on a lot but scoring more

 

This is the world cup not the copa américa. There will be opponents that we aren't used to and especially european teams that can knock out if we aren't disciplined.

 

Not much of a payout. Not worth the effort but I am not one to judge.

 

That wait from the opening game of the world cup this thursday to our game next Wednesday is gonna feel like forever. then the wait until 10pm on gameday, already dreading it.

hope we can get an early goal in this one. dont want to be pressing late for a goal.

 

for us anyway.

we aren't competent enough defensively to make that work

 

I just hope Mojica plays better than he has the last couple of matches. I also hope Vargas is ready mentally and physically. He is familiar with playing in Mexico so that could be in our favor.

I am not really concerned about anyone else other than maybe James and his stamina. Hopefully his body is ready.

 

He should be fine as a bench option.
If we had to rely on him for 90 minutes we’d be in trouble.

 

or we bring a 27th player in case he can’t make it and not be down to 23 as Carrascal and Castano are not options at all

 

Not going to happen.

 

It doesn't make sense to me to roll the dice who's just an option in a pinch. In the worst case scenario of one of or both Cucho and Suarez being out you need someone who can play 90 and be reliable, if they're carrying an injury what's the reward for taking that risk? Not a high upside means less incentive to roll the dice on a back up option in a pinch, its different if it was Suarez who's a big upside and would give for sure minutes, but in this case your 2 and 3 options need to be fit and ready in an emergency situation that's the whole roll.

 

Our backup plan if he is not fit is probably just slide Diaz at “9” and put Campaz at LW like the Argentina match.

I think people are worried too much about Cordoba. He should be fine a sub.

 

Honestly Cordoba won't be "needed" unless we need muscle by the Portugal game; possibly Congo.

This is gonna be a literal long world cup with each group stage match needing roughly a week per team before they play their next matches... and that's just the group stage.

 

Yeah Lorenzo's planning is bad, was similar in other games where he didn't call up enough wide players and then needed wide players and had ignored viable options during qualifiers. Giving these courtesy call ups for guys down the depth chart does come back to bite you sometimes, Ditta for example looks horrible and CB is position prone to suspensions and Yerry Mina is injury prone and not likely able to step in and play 90 every game on short rest.

We have Quintero who clearly can't step in and start since Lorenzo never does, he's behind James who's completely not fully match fit and injury prone, Carrascal looks bad but he's fit at least. So we have for the 10 position, James and Quinteor and one fully fit option, then we have Ditta who's a head scratcher and Cordoba who isn't fit and the backup Cucho was never played in the position he's being used by Lorenzo until this camp where he got minutes in his proper position.

So imo we could have everything work well and not really suffer from these mistakes, but its a mistake imo at his squad construction and planning which has been an ongoing problem with Lorenzo that he hasn't corrected, he has tunnel vision for his starting team, over plays them and doesnt' think through enough scenarios in his depth or prepare for plan A, B, C

 

🚨🗣️ Uzbekistan manager Fabio Cannavaro: "I saw photographs on the front pages of the newspapers showing the searches we were subjected to at the airport, as members of the Uzbek national team. I've also seen misleading headlines, so I'd like to set the record straight. These… pic.twitter.com/vX7MOkC7I9

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) June 10, 2026

#22A moment agoNEW

Cannavaro, I think pretty good friend of Tino, was cavity searched when arriving.

Everybody complaining on Russia and Qatar being hosts…they never did anything like this pure propaganda.

Well it’s their own fault. I think they should’ve boycotted the tournament since Trump started to pick fights with the whole world. Many of them participants.

 

As long as the teams themsleves aren't affected, I have no complaints.

 

Sources seem to point that Rios will be started over Puerta..

 

If they do plan to play him, late sub in the first or second match would be ideal.