I should've suggested it about an hour ago, but I think Colombia are metagaming the ref. While plenty of people would be content to just write off the ref due to his being USAian, or even bring up some of the games he's bungled in the past (not least the Mexico/Panama match in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup where he sent off the wrong Panamanian player and gave Mexico a penalty in the tenth minute of stoppage time to tie the game up before winning in extra time that led to one Panamanian paper leading with the headline "****ing ref!") but here's what's actually going on: CONCACAF teams are noted for some of the dirtiest tackling you'll ever see, with Honduras and Panama in particular seeming to use a copy of The Raid as their defensive manual, and as a result CONCACAF refs tend to let a lot go because otherwise one in three matches would be abandoned - and I have to wonder if Columbia know this and are looking to see how far they can push the ref, because I doubt they'd be so agricultural if (for the sake of naming a ref) Bjorn Kuipers was in charge
We're stumbling to penalties here. Got to try and get some control and put pressure back on. We're the better team FFS!
We’re gonna lose this. Over the course of the game, we’ve not really created much and they are looking more and more like they’re gonna sneak it.
On the plus side, a penalty shootout does guarantee a ****load of set pieces, which is where 90% of England's goals have come from so far...
Bottle has gone. And nobody in MF who can take the game by the scruff of the neck, in attack or defence.
The Dier for Alli sub was really negative and it's allowed Colombia to take over. Southgate needs to use his last change to reverse it and regain the momentum.
This is what I don't like about England. When energy levels drop we have nobody to control the game. Nobody who can keep hold of the ball and give players a breather. Instead we end up having to defend relentlessly against opponents who can control the ball. Penalties is our best hope.
We look completely shagged out and there's noone having an influence. Rashford is the last chance, but they have the upper hand. Can only see a defeat I'm afraid.
