After just ten minutes of play in a Copa America group stage match against continental powers Brazil, Luis Diaz scored an incredible acrobatic volley. The renowned Liverpool winger’s 2024 debut was less spectacular as he missed a few second-half scoring opportunities while former Merseyside star James Rodriguez took centre stage in Colombia’s 2-1 triumph over Paraguay on Monday.
With a brilliant play along the end line to open the game, Diaz gave Colombia an early opportunity. The left winger turned away from his defender in the seventh minute, allowing two Paraguayan players to get in enough space for him to fire a cross towards the back post. However, Daniel Munoz’s header was weak and went harmlessly out for a goal kιck.
The encouraging start for the 2022 Liverpool signee was dashed when he only completed three of his seven first-half passes and managed one good dribble. Rodriguez, who left Everton in 2021 after just one miserable season, was the star of the show for Los Cafeteros, giving Colombia a 2-0 lead going into the locker room with his well-placed crosses.
A deft manoeuvre slightly past the 18-yard line provided space for Rodríguez to use his favoured left foot, which enabled him to reach Munoz at the back post. Munoz finished with a header that was drilled low at the near post. Within ten minutes, Jefferson Lerma, a star in the Premier League now, headed in Rodriguez’s free kιck inside the far post, giving Colombia even more of a lead.
Just as the second half got underway, Diaz got his chance to open his Copa America goal account. Rodriguez’s next set-piece attempt was cleared as far as Diaz, who was waiting in the penalty area, but the Liverpool winger missed the Paraguay goal with his volley attempt by a few feet.
When Paraguay cut the lead in half in the 69th minute, the mostly Colombian crowd in Houston became noticeably tense. The resultant free-flowing play gave Diaz two excellent chances to score. With 25 minutes remaining, Diaz drove at the Paraguayan defenders in transition, setting up Rodriguez for an accurate layoff on an overlapping run. Just past the six-yard line, the оffensive midfielder was unmarked, but he decided to square the ball and miss the chance.
A minute later, Diaz tried to tie the score himself after a brilliant shot fake gave him a comparable distance shot on goal. Unfortunately, the young winger lost his balance and struck the side netting with force.
With 10 completed passes in the second half—including a couple of line-breаking plays that he had trouble finding in the first forty-five minutes—and one more successful dribble, Diaz had a far bigger impact overall.
Colombia started their Copa America journey with three points despite only 0.63 projected goals on the night, thanks to a late scаre from La Albirroja. against Friday at 6 p.m. ET, Diaz and Colombia will take against Costa Rica on FS1.