Liverpool’s Colombian wing wizard Luis Diaz put in a goalscoring performance last night as his country beat Bolivia 3-0.
It was a much-needed win for the South Americans for whom World Cup qualification remains just about possible.
Diaz scored Colombia’s first goal since September with a trademark curling effort from the left-hand side of the penalty area. And his contribution didn’t go unnoticed by the press in his homeland.
El Tiempo were particularly effusive in their praise. They called him ‘the key man in Colombia’ and said that ‘when he does not do it, he helps his teammates to score.’
However they do note that Diaz was ‘better in the first-half’ and he was replaced with a few minutes to play.
El Tiempo also carry post-match quotes from Liverpool’s number 23. In them, Diaz highlighted the enjoyment he gets from setting up his teammates.
“We are all teammates and whoever is in the best position to score the goal must be assisted,” he said. “Miguel (Borja) entered well, Uribe did the same. The group had a good game.”
The 25-year-old is yet to assist a goal for Liverpool. But with an attitude like that it surely won’t be long until he does.
The man of the moment
El Colombiano also hailed Diaz’s impact on a down-beaten Colombia team. The team saw their qualification hopes virtually surrendered over the last round of internationals and badly needed a win here.
As his star has risen, Diaz has become the face of Los Cafeteros. It seems as though he’s taken to that pressure comfortably.
The publication said he ‘became the spokesperson for the national team’ and that he ‘made the difference’ with his goal and his outstanding work-rate.
El Espectador gave a similar verdict, calling the Liverpool winger ‘the man of the moment.’
Colombia will still have to beat Venezuela in their final qualifier on Wednesday to stand any chance of qualification. They’ll also be looking for a favour from Paraguay, who will have to either draw or beat Peru to allow Colombia to sneak into the last playoff spot.
From a Liverpool point of view, it’s great to see Diaz excelling. The goal was delightful and is hopefully something we’ll see more of from him in a red shirt as the season turns into the home straight.
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