Olawale Ajimotokan
5 November 2009
Ijebu Ode — Argentina coach Jose Brown last night said that the red card which reduced his side to 10 men in the second half after referee Wolfgang Stark gave Esteban Espindola the marching order was responsible for the Albicelesties 3-2 loss to Colombia at Ijebu Ode in one of yesterday's round of 16 matches.
Argentina were in control of the highly entertaining match watched by 12,450 spectators at the Gateway International Stadium until Colombia turned a two- goal deficit in the first half to victory in the second half.
Brown who said he only came to the media briefing as a mark of respect to the media as he did not feel like coming said the 65th minute expulsion complicated their situation.
"I don't think my players let me down. They probably had a bad day. It is just that my expectation for the match did not happen. The red card did not help our situation because our projection was to go far at Nigeria 2009," Brown said.
He said that the team would leave Nigeria with a sweet memory especially of the comfortable hotel and transportation services by the stewards in Bauchi and Abuja.
The young Argentinean players, however, showed lack of sportsmanship as they poured their frustration at the media as in a stage-managed catwalk, they shuffled past journalists in the mixed zone without answering questions.
In the contrary, Colombian captain Juan Saiz said that they took inspiration in beating Argentina by giving a 110 percent performance because of the history of the intense rivalry between both countries.
Colombian coach Ramiro Viafara also on a lighter note said that Ijebu Ode spectators endlessly helped Colombian to victory because the Colombian ancestors were Yoruba slaves forcibly taken away to America hundreds of years ago. Viafara said that the match could have gone either way.
He thanked his players for showing calm under difficult situation
"God helped us to victory against a great side. My players had a bad first half but showed courage and control to win in the second half," Viafara concluded.
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