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Leave it to Colombia to orchestrate a set piece this farcically intricate. The Edwin Cardona goal vs Ecuador on Sunday was the stuff coaches wouldn’t even dream of dreaming up, the gorgeous culmination of footballers dancing their way onto the scoreboard in beautiful fashion.
Colombia opened the scoring against Ecuador with one of the loveliest set pieces you’ll ever see. Cardona started and finished a five-pass, five-touch sequence that ended with Cardona using the sixth touch to volley home the No. 10’s seventh international goal five seconds after his initial pass for the only goal in a 1-0 win.
It was a joy to watch.
Edwin Cardona Goal vs Ecuador
That was pretty, Colombia
VAR confirms the goal and Colombia takes the lead in their @CopaAmerica opener pic.twitter.com/Mn1ayf1Ugp— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 14, 2021
“The move for the goal was something the players have been working on since the World Cup qualifiers,” Colombia coach Reinaldo Rueda said after the match.
Arguably the worst part about the Copa América being televised on Fox in the U.S. is hearing Alexi Lalas yell about set pieces game after game. Not even Lalas could have imagined set pieces being as beautiful as this.
The only downside was the assistant referee’s flag initially waving the goal off for offside only for VAR to reverse the call. The goal was only confirmed two minutes later, muting the celebrations. There was no dancing after the goal, only during the goal.
¡Goooool de Colombia!
Qué golazo se inventaron los cafeteros y afortunadamente el VAR rectificó. ⚽1-0 #CopaAméricaEnTUDN I #VeranoDeCampeones I #VibraElContinente
¡En vivo!
TUDN y @univision
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/iSP1XwlCYc pic.twitter.com/qGsc4ztcx5— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) June 14, 2021
The Cardona strike was far prettier than anything Brazil managed in the Copa América opener, a 3-0 win over heavily depleted Venezuela. Neymar had a goal and an assist, but none of the three scores came close to what Colombia produced later in the evening.
