
MONTPELLIER, June 21: The pressure on Colombia to beat Tunisia in their second World Cup game here tomorrow is overwhelming and the team that face an early departure from the World Cup had better deliver.
Captain Carlos Valderrama has insisted the squad will not allow the absence of banished striker Faustino Asprilla to affect their performance here tomorrow.
Tunisia lost 2-0 to England in their opening Group G tie in Marseille and the North African side8217;s Polish-born coach Henri Kasperczak believes Colombia8217;s recent off field distractions may make his task all the easier. 8220;The Colombians were a dangerous proposition,8221; he said. 8220;It remains to be seen whether they still are.8221;
Asprilla, the gifted former Newcastle striker now with Parma in the Italian league, was so appalled at the lack of service he received from the ageing Valderrama and teammates when he was posted as the lone striker against Romania, that he staged a public revolt after being substituted.
Coach Hernan Dario Gomez told him topack his bags and go home. An announcement from Gomez in the wake of the Asprilla affair that he was resigning after the World Cup did nothing to lift the poisoned atmosphere.Some players thought that Asprilla, who later apologised should have been given a second chance.
Valderrama says the Tunisia match is win or bust.
Probable teams
Colombia: 22-Farid Mondragon; 4-Jose Santa, 5-Jorge Bermudez, 3-Ever Palacios, 13-Wilmer Cabrera; 8-Harold Lozano, 14-Jorge Bolano, 10-Carlos Valderrama, 19-Freddy Rincon; 9-Adolfo Valencia, 7-Anthony de Avila.Tunisia: 1-Chokri el Ouaer; 17-Jose Clayton, 6-Ferid Chouchane, 3-Sami Trabelsi, 7-Tarek Thabet; 10-Kaies Godhbane, 14-Sirajeddine Chihi, 15-Skander Souayah, 8-Zubeir Beya; 11-Adel Sellimi, 2-Imed Ben Younes.