James Rodriguez bagged a goal and crafted another as Colombia sealed a tricky 2-1 win over Argentina at home on Tuesday in their World Cup qualifier.
Yerson Mosquera broke the deadlock at Estadio Metropolitano, nodding in a header from close range after Rodriguez delivered a pinpoint cross from the left.
Nico Gonzalez leveled the score for the reigning World Cup and Copa America champs by pouncing on a stray Rodriguez pass, darting into the area, and slipping the ball past Camilo Vargas.
Rodriguez redeemed himself by netting a penalty when Daniel Munoz was tripped up by Nicolas Otamendi.
“Nabbing a win against a team that has conquered all is fantastic,” Rodriguez remarked post-match.
The Colombian skipper has now contributed 10 goals in his last eight international outings.
He mentioned that the intense heat in Barranquilla, situated on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, had worn out players on both sides.
“The conditions were grueling. The heat was rough, but we held our ground, and the outcome was just,” added the Rayo Vallecano midfielder.
This result offers a measure of redemption for Rodriguez and his squad following Argentina’s Copa America final triumph over Colombia in July.
The Cafeteros now sit second in the South American qualifier standings, racking up 16 points from eight matches, trailing leaders Argentina by just two points.
