England vs Colombia: Penalty heartbreak again?
This is England’s best chance of winning the World Cup since 1966. Extra time beckons, but the Three Lions should still deliver
BY
LEE STOBBS
Football’s a tough old game. By Wednesday morning, Gareth Southgate will go down in history as either a mastermind or a monumental failure. A win against Colombia will see the 47-year-old lauded for shrewdly steering his team on to a very achievable route to a final. A loss will be met with questions about why he rested nine of his starting eleven in the loss to Belgium, subsequently denying England a more favourable chance of progressing to the quarter-final with a round of 16 tie against Fifa’s 61st-ranked Japan.
There is, of course, a temptation for England players to feel buoyant about their side of the draw and what lies ahead should they beat Colombia – Switzerland or Sweden, then Russia or Croatia – but they mustn’t underestimate their next opponents. In tournaments gone by, the Three Lions have often struggled against the industry and imagination of South American sides and José Pékerman's team has that in spades.
But England’s biggest test on Tuesday night won’t be with their opponents, but themselves. Can Southgate’s first-choice eleven switch back on after an eight-day break, with Colombia still locked in to the buzz of beating Senegal in their final group game just four days ago? Harry Kane and co might feel fresher, but momentum can go a long way.
Expectations heading into Russia 2018 were nonexistent for the English team. It was about enjoying the ride, embracing a new-look team and giving it time to grow. But the truth is, as it stands, England have never had a better chance to win the World Cup since 1966 and now there is a new message from their captain. “You have to believe,” Kane told the BBC when asked if they can go all the way. “There is a long way to go, a lot of hard work, but we just have to stick to our game plan.”