First appeared on The National's website on June 20, 2014 BRASILIA // Fifa’s Man of the Match awards, as voted for by the public, have a tendency to reward the most popular players rather than the most impressive performers. Such was the case in Brazil’s opening match when Oscar was by far his side’s standout player, yet Neymar, the poster boy, took home the trophy. Thursday night’s game between Colombia and Ivory Coast, however, was not such an occasion. James Rodriguez, the South Americans’ young playmaker, was at the heart of all things good in his country’s 2-1 win and was rightly rewarded. It was his second man of the match award in two games – although there are some who would argue it is the first he has deserved. |
In Brasilia last night, the €45m (Dh224.8m) Monaco man proved his worth. Within the opening 10 minutes, he had fed Teofilo Gutierrez with a clever back-heel and linked up well with Juan Cuadrado wide on the right only to see the Fiorentina midfielder’s cross diverted clear by an Ivorian leg. When he picked out Gutierrez in acres of space later in the first half, it appeared easier to score. The fact the River Plate forward’s side-foot bounced wide should not detract from the inch-perfect pass.
If there was one cricticism of Rodriguez’s first-half performance it was that he did not manage a shot on target, a wrong that he righted in the second half.
Massive jeers from the majority Colombian contingent in the stands greeted the introduction of Didier Drogba in the 60th minute, but Rodriguez soon gave the sea of yellow something to cheer as he sneaked in front of the Galatasaray striker to leap higher and crash a header past Boubacar Barry to open the scoring. It was a fantastic header and by someone more renowned for his trickery with his feet all the more impressive.
Jose Pekerman, the Colombia coach, was asked post-match if he was concerned that the increasing focus on Rodriguez might not be so good for his level of performance. “Well it seems to me it is more than good!” the coach retorted. “Against Ivory Coast, he has scored a header to add something even more brilliant to his technical capacity. He is a player who will be the one of the best players in this World Cup for sure.”
It is hard to argue. Last night, Rodriguez showed he is a maturing force; a player with definition and immense creative vision. Not only that, he knows how to close out a game, as exemplified in the dying stages of the match.
“It seems to me, when you have so much determination, dreams and desires... let us not say it is easy, but the results always come your way,” Rodriguez said. “I only want to help my team win, whether that is scoring goals or making crosses and passes, it doesn’t matter.”
Much, it could be said, like the Man of the Match awards. ISWAS