Colombian players marked for death for putting a foot wrong
Coach Pekerman rallies players and fans in support of beleaguered Sanchez after thrashing Poland.
With the enduring murder of Andres Escobar after scoring own goal against USA at 1994 World Cup in mind, Colombian players are fretting over death threats directed at Carlos Sanchez.
Colombia coach Jose Pekerman used the press conference after the 3-0 victory over Poland to haul themselves back to contention, to dedicate victoryto Sanchez, who was sent off in their 2-1 defeat to Japan.
Group H is now wide open after Japan battled back to draw 2-2 with Senegal, but Colombians are having sleepless nights after Sanchez received death threats.
Pekerman said: “This victory is dedicated to Carlos Sanchez, because he's had a very hard time in the past days. I want, and we want, to share it with him.”
The talented Espanyol midfielder could return to face Senegal on Thursday after sitting out the Poland victory in Kazan on Sunday.
The disturbing threats on Sanchez’s life, however, cast dark cloud over the Colombians who somehow have proven to be a lively and fun loving lot here in Russia.
For a country that has given the world such notable exponents of the game as the revered goalkeeper René Higuita, the inventor of jaw dropping ‘Scorpion kick’, it is mind-boggling why they should mark for death their sons.
There have been also such entertaining stars as Carlos Valderrama, Faustino Asprilla and the younger generation of Radamel Falcao and James Rodríguez, but the knack for going for their blood for putting a foot wrong will surely take the glitz out of the Colombians.
In 1994, an irate gambler shot dead Escobar after his return home having scored an own goal against USA that led to Colombia’s elimination.
Just before the tournament, then coach Francisco Maturana was forced to drop left-back Gabriel Gomez in favour of Hernán Gaviria after a shadowy death squad issued threats via fax and telephone that they would bomb the coach’s house if he didn’t accede to their demands.
Maturana refused to budge, but senior Colombian football officials are reported to have overruled him.
And 24 years later, Colombia find themselves grappling with another crisis stalking their players.
Sánchez is accused of deliberately handling the ball inside the box to block Shinji Kagawa’s attempt on the line.
The defensive midfielder was sent off in the third minute while Kagawa scored from the resultant penalty and Colombia never quite recovered from the early set back.
Irate fans took to social media calling for Sánchez’s head with one tweeter handle, now being investigated by Colombian cybercrime agency, writing: “If Andrés Escobar was killed for scoring an own goal, then Carlos Sánchez should be murdered and his dead body pissed on.”
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“It went beyond football. It's a game that we play with a lot of hard work and dedication, but these things should not be taken lightly. Whether it's confirmed or not... this is extremely painful.”
Jose Pekerman, Colombia coach
