National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when J.P. Kapar kicked off to start the match. Manuel Espagnet took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Edwardo Piñeros, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 11th minute, J.P. Kapar ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Lev Yashin was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. Bartoleme Villasante kicked well hit freekick during the 14th minute of the match. Lev Yashin made an important save on a dangerous shot by Guy Jourdan in the 15th minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Romuald Requena got free with Lev Yashin in the 18th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. The supporters of U21 France booed when U21 Colombia was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 20 match minutes in a wonderful position. Luís Fernando Díaz didn't get a good kick on the ball. Luís Fernando Díaz sent away a hard shot on goal in the 24th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. An unexpectedly hard shot by Apolo Cuevas in the 29th minute of play forced U21 France's goalkeeper Manuel Espagnet to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 30th minute, U21 France's Romuald Requena ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Lev Yashin. Lev Yashin yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 2-1. Lev Yashin made an important save on a dangerous shot by Romuald Requena in the 33rd minute. Manuel Espagnet took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Tomás Angel, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Manuel Espagnet stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Luís Fernando Díaz's shot from short distance in the 40th minute. Lev Yashin made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Salomon Jestin in the 43rd minute of play. Manuel Espagnet showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Tomás Angel in the 48th minute of the match. 49 minutes had been played when some careless play by U21 France's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Edwardo Piñeros was slow to take the kick. During this time U21 Colombia's players had a chance to rest. A nice corner shot did that Apolo Cuevas got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Manuel Espagnet quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Apolo Cuevas in the 49th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Manuel Espagnet prevented the ball from getting in the gole. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 2-1 at half-time.

U21 Colombia's Luís Fernando Díaz got a good chance for a goal in the 56th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After 57 minutes, Caetano Reyo mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the U21 Colombia and the U21 France players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 57th match minute, U21 Colombia was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Caetano Reyo to maneuver through the defense. Lev Yashin took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Salomon Jestin, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Manuel Espagnet came out of the goal in the 68th minute to try and stop a shot by U21 Colombia's Luís Fernando Díaz. But to his dismay, Luís Fernando Díaz quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-2. Lev Yashin didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from J.P. Kapar went, in the 75th minute, to the upper right corner, 3-2 was the resulting score. U21 France's Tobías Gunnarsson was substituted for Salomon Jestin. The supporters of U21 Colombia booed when U21 France was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 79 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ulysse Houssais didn't get a good kick on the ball. U21 France's Manuel Espagnet proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 85th minute of the match, managed to save U21 France from getting a goal against them. 86 minutes into the match, U21 France's goalkeeper Manuel Espagnet had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Edwardo Piñeros. Apolo Cuevas hit a great freekick 88 minutes into the match. The referee blew his whistle, and the match came to a close. The players exchanged shirts and headed down the tunnel. The U21 France fans cheered their team off the field, for while U21 Colombia had put up a good fight, they were unable to come out of the game with any points to show for their effort.