After a briefing from Coach Amaral, where the team were instructed to play restricted man to man and focused on strong performance, England started with their main five.
Within a few minutes it became clear Colombia were the best team in the competition, with a mixture of youth and experience, that made England nervous after the very fast Colombians rapidly closed them down prevent England from settling into a passing game.
4:00 in the Andorran referee awarded a penalty to Colombia, as a result of Barton taking out an attacker, which he saved.
Tension remained high as both teams looked for an opening, with Colombia having by far the greater chances.
5:00 to go D Pearce received a yellow after fouling and a minute later the bald Colombian no 4 (Alexandro), who played at Buckmore park and now for Swiss Club Villaneuve, also received a yellow.
With 1:00 left in the half Coach Amaral called a time out to instruct his team to move the ball around by playing more 2-touch hockey.
At halftime the score remained 0-0 with England having made no substitutions and having had 4 shots on target to Colombia’s 9, and holding 45% of the possession.
At the break the team were reminded to keep it tight at the back, play more 2 touch hockey and for Taylor to put more shots in from the half way through the middle for Wheatley in the box to finish.
1:00 into the second half England shout for a goal that the New Zealand referee completely missed and awards a face off!
At 4:00 the Colombian 8 pings a good shot off the post and England are under more pressure even though the fast Columbian’s find it impossible to break the strong England defence.
6:00 in Taylor squeezes a good slap shot through forcing the keeper to make a great save.
With the main 5 tiring S Pearce substitutes for Waddingham and at 10:00 Taylor is smashed into the barrier, damaging his shoulder, with only a yellow card being issued to his opponent.
8:00 to go Barton produces another great save, which prompts Coach Amaral to call a time out. With both teams looking tired and Colombia looking fitter overall, England take some rest and generally settle down.
With 6:00 remaining Colombia are awarded a direct free hit after the Colombian 9 dives in general play. Barton, true to his magnificent form through out the championship, produces another great save, and soon after Columbian 4, who is playing too well, gets his 2nd yellow and is off for 2:00.
At 2:00 minutes left Taylor squeezed through another chance that was somehow saved, which was followed by another Colombian (9) getting their 2nd yellow and off for 2 minutes.
At full time the score remained locked at 0-0, with neither team having conceded a goal throughout the tournament! England had 7 shots to 14 this half with 50% possession.
2:00 into extra time Colombia earn their first goal (8) from a misread pass that went through England’s defence and a great shot that beat Barton. The crowd of about 2000, and not pro-England, go wild.
Down a goal, England have to expose their back line and start looking for a goal and in the last minute the Colombian 4 places a first time flick from just outside the ‘D’ into the net.
The second half of extra time saw another Colombian (2) out with a second yellow, but England look too tired as Colombia’s bench strength allows them to draw on 7 floor players while England stay with only 5, Columbia’s 8 wraps up the match with a 2 on the keeper break against an England that are out on their skates 3-0.
England should be proud of their performance against a better, fitter team in a fantastically tight game that would have been worthy for a final.
England must now win tonight’s match against Uruguay at 17.00 to get the bronze medal and into the ‘A’ group for Portugal next year.
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Reporter: Kos Galtos
