FRANCE 98 – Match preview n°31

The pressure on Colombia to beat Tunisia in their second World Cup game here on Monday is overwhelming and the team that face an early departure from the World Cup had better deliver.

Captain Carlos Valderrama has insisted that the squad will not allow the absence of banished striker Faustino Asprilla to affect their performance here on Monday.

Tunisia lost 2-0 to England in their opening Group G tie in Marseille and the North African side’s Polish-born coach Henri Kasperczak believes Colombia’s recent off field distractions may make his task all the easier. ” The Colombians were a dangerous proposition, “ he said. ” It remains to be seen whether they still are. “

Asprilla, the gifted former Newcastle striker now with Parma in the Italian league, was so appalled at the lack of service he received from the ageing Valderrama and teammates when he was posted as the lone striker against Romania, that he staged a public revolt after being substituted. Coach Hernan Dario Gomez told him to pack his bags and go home. An announcement from Gomez in the wake of the Asprilla affair that he was resigning after the World Cup did nothing to lift the poisoned atmosphere. Some players thought that Asprilla, who later apologised, should have been given a second chance.

Valderrama says the Tunisia match is win or bust.” If we lose on Monday, it’s all over for us, “ the flamboyant  36-year-old said. Colombian fans back home will agree. They had to watch the team’s failure in the United States four years ago when they were among the favourites but eliminated in the first round. The subsequent murder of defender Andres Escobar, scorer of an own goal, by hitmen for a betting syndicate only served to blacken the name of Colombian football futher.

Part of the problem against Romania, who won the match 1-0, was that Valderrama and Freddy Rincon, veteran midfielder in the evening of their careers, were ineffective. Colombia will probably play Anthony De Avila in Asprilla’s place against Tunisia with Adolfo Valencia taking the other striking role ahead of Victor Aristizabal.

For Tunisia, their hope is that recent distractions will affect Colombia on the field. ” Colombia have some very classy players, “ said playmaker Skander Souayah. ” They can cause problems to any side. “ Coach Kasperczak identified the midfield as their chief weakness against England and will field Zoubele Baya, who plays in Germany with Freiburg, alongside Souayeh to forge an attacking midfield partnership. ” We complement each other and we can play very well together, “ said Souayah.

Striker Mehdi Ben Slimane, Baya’s Freiburg teammate, will lose his place after a lacklustre showing against England and Imed Ben Younes will come in to partner Adel Sellimi in attack. Central defender Khaled Badra will miss the match after pulling a thigh muscle against England and his place is likely to go to understudy Farid Chouchene.