When Teofilo Gutierrez came off with 14 minutes remaining of Colombia’s 3-0 win over Greece this afternoon, he received the warmest of ovations. That came as no surprise, given the size of his contribution to the Cafetero cause and the large number of yellow-shirted supporters populating the Estadio Mineirao, which could easily have been mistaken for the Estadio Metropolitano in his home town of Barranquilla.
Only a few moments before he was replaced, Gutierrez had put his side 2-0 up, a vital goal in helping the Colombians get off to an auspicious start in Group C of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. Handed the No9 shirt that Radamel Falcao would have worn had he not been injured, Gutierrez proved a more than able deputy.
“The coaches and my team-mates gave me the confidence to wear the jersey,” the forward, who wore the number 19 during the qualifiers, told shortly after his side’s 3-0 victory. “It was important for me to repay that faith with a goal, a goal that’s also reinforced my self-belief. We all need to work for the good of the team here, because the team is each and every one of us.”
With Falcao in the stands, having made the journey from Colombia with Luis Perea to cheer his colleagues on, Gutierrez could have been excused for feeling a little more pressure than usual. If he was, the goalscorer showed no sign of it, helping to create play and working tirelessly for the team, revealing attributes that are the hallmark of Jose Pekerman’s side.
“Radamel always keeps an eye on us. He’s a great striker and a lovely person and I’d like to dedicate part of this win to him,” said the 29-year-old front man, still sporting a plaster protecting a cut over his left eye, an inconvenience that did nothing to dampen his afternoon.
Deserved winnersColombia were well worth the three points, attacking at pace and defending solidly, as their new No9 explained: “We came here with a plan and we were only too happy to put it into place. That’s the kind of game we play. We enjoy ourselves and we feel very comfortable with our style of football.”
Another reason why Los Cafeteros felt comfortable in Belo Horizonte was the sizeable contingent of Colombia fans who had come to support them, turning the Mineirao a bright shade of yellow.
“I wasn’t surprised by them,” commented the smiling River Plate man. “The Colombia fans have been waiting for this moment, and with it being so close I expected them to turn up in numbers. It was very exciting.”
Gutierrez, who has now scored 13 goals in 31 international appearances, signed off with a promise: “It was a dream world finals debut because it’s not every day that you score a goal, especially in the World Cup. The best is still to come, though.”

Costa Rican comeback undoes Uruguay

Costa Rica stunned Uruguay with two quick-fire goals en route to a 3-1 comeback victory in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ opener. Edinson Cavani had given the South Americans the lead from the penalty spot, but Joel Campbell and Oscar Duarte struck with minutes of one another before Marco Urena rounded off an unexpected win.
With Oscar Tabarez's side not having won their opening game since 1970, and Los Ticos starting out on a five-game World Cup winless streak, there was every chance a run would be broken in Fortaleza. It was Uruguay that posed problems for the Central Americans early on. First, Diego Godin was on hand to sweep home at the back post, following a Cavani flick, only to be marginally ruled offside. Then the Paris Saint-Germain forward had a gilt-edged chance of his own, slicing a volley wildly wide after Umana miscued his clearance.
The fans who had hopped on the six-hour flight from Montevideo were not left waiting much longer, as captain Diego Lugano was hauled down by Junior Diaz in the area, leaving Cavani to slot home from 12 yards.

Costa Rica were far from rolling over though, with a long distance effort from Campbell seeing Fernando Muslera fling himself full-length across his goal as it arrowed narrowly wide. Then it was the turn of Duarte and Giancarlo Gonzalez to worry La Celeste, with the latter's close-range effort deflected past the post after the pair cause havoc following a deep free-kick.
Moments before half-time though, only a stunning save from Keylor Navas prevented Duarte from inadvertently making the difference at the other end, with a wicked deflection almost sending Diego Forlan's shot under the bar.
Costa Rica had not beaten Uruguay in eight attempts, but dead-balls began to look like a fruitful avenue for Jose Luis Pinto's side, as Duarte again rose at the back post to meet Christian Bolanos' free-kick, but Muslera was there to deny him. Minutes later they were level, with Campbell tying the match up, firing home with his left foot past a motionless Muselra from inside the area after Cristian Gamboa's deep cross.
Then, in a near-carbon copy of Bolanos and Duarte's previous combination, the defender got his rewards, with his diving header into the far corner turned the game on its head three minutes later. While Uruguay probed for an equaliser, they rarely troubled the Costa Ricans, and with five minutes remaining a surgical through-ball from Campbell sent Urena through - who slotted coolly past the advancing Muslera. To compound Tabarez's misery, a frustrated Maxi Pereira lashed out on Campbell in the dying seconds to receive his marching orders.