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00:00One of just 11 survivors from the last World Cup and ushering the United Arab Emirates forward to kick off their first ever match in the World Cup Finals.
00:15These must be two of the most curious of the 24 finalists. The Colombians haven't played any club football since their season was suspended last November following the assassination of a referee.
00:27The United Arab Emirates are already on their third manager of the year. A little reminder maybe to referees and managers who believe they get a raw deal that there are worse places on earth.
00:39Patience and tolerance, not qualities that have yet woven themselves into the footboarding fabric of these two countries.
00:46Patience could well be the tactical byword today though. We're expecting a match with a real South American flavour.
00:56The Emirates, coached principally by two Brazilians in recent years, favour the same short passing stroding style that is habits in Colombian football.
01:07The Colombians in red and here is Valderrama.
01:16Number 11 is Redin.
01:20Gabriel Gomez.
01:37The country that has ever won a match in the final stages of a World Cup tournament.
01:43The Emirates weren't even FIFA members until 1972, in that sense they're the youngest of this year's finalists.
01:51Valderrama for Colombia. Herrera.
01:57He's the ball back for Valderrama.
02:01Good strong play. Rincón again.
02:08Colombia were finalists in 1962. They only managed one point there.
02:20Nineteen minutes gone. No score in Bologna but a corner to Colombia.
02:26Two lines. They needed two defenders to help him out. It's still not clear. Gomez again.
02:34Just maybe that is correct.
02:39Uncertainty in the Arab Emirates' regard.
02:44I think they've been awarded a free kick.
02:58Traditionally this is just the territory where you do not want to concede a free kick.
03:04For a South American World Cup qualifier.
03:10Six in an anxious wall. Four contenders for the free kick.
03:16Nice idea.
03:19Execution not quite up to the required standard from Redin.
03:29Almost cut in the wrong way.
03:34The fight behind South Korea in the Asian playoffs last October.
03:39The coach proclaimed it a miracle and it was really. They played five games in the deciders and won only one of them.
03:46Here's Rincón with a chance for Colombia. How many touches does he want?
03:51Too many.
03:54He's a big, rangy, awkward looking striker.
03:57Too awkward really to bring the ball under control then.
04:03As good an opening as either side has had.
04:09Rincón has got into good positions but just doesn't appear to have the poise or the technique really to make the most of them.
04:20Now one touch, two touch. I'll drag it back onto my right, maybe my left. I'll have a go on my right eventually.
04:26His opposite number, Isamir, was able to do enough.
04:29It was a miracle. It was a mathematical miracle.
04:33And it added up to 80,000 pounds to Mercedes for each of their successful players.
04:40In a sense they've already had their reward.
04:43And they're going to lock the Colombians here with that kind of shooting. It would be a real bonus.
04:48Need to equal to it, although only just.
04:51Type of ball that's being used in these finals.
04:54Flies through the air a little quicker than most.
04:59He's just got some thinking to do here and he was far more decisive that time.
05:04Although the luck favoured him. Could have gone anywhere really.
05:07Oh and that's a terrible back pass by Escobar.
05:10And a great chance for the Emirates. Tagliati!
05:14Oh, what an opening.
05:19Confusion reigning in the Colombian penalty area.
05:22And Tagliati was just too anxious to take advantage of it.
05:30Nothing Higuita could do about this.
05:33Screwed the shot wide.
05:35Fed in.
05:37With the Emirates in front.
05:41And I would think he's scripted the half time talk of the Colombian coach.
05:47Who's seen his side.
05:49Who's seen his side.
05:51Dominating possession turns.
05:54Survive an early physical onslaught that referee George Courtney was quick to act upon.
06:00Booking the Emirates.
06:05Number 19 Issa Amir in the opening five minutes of the game.
06:09And the more the half went on, the more confident the Arabs looked.
06:12And if only they'd taken the opportunity to avoid the penalty area following a misplaced back pass by Escobar.
06:20Colombia restart.
06:22And had most of the possession in the opening half of the game.
06:28The biggest alarm and the biggest reminder for how little possession can count.
06:33In the closing minute of that first half when Tagliati came so close to scoring.
06:38He really should have done better from the opportunity that he was allowed.
06:43Carlos Valderrama the Colombian captain has flitted in and out of things.
06:49He's shown the skill.
06:51Or glimpses of the skill that can win the match.
06:55Glimpse is not enough.
06:57It's a pretty spirited UAE lineup.
07:02That's not the best of back passes.
07:04Needed some good goalkeeping.
07:06And some wayward finishing.
07:08And that really was a sloppy start to the second half by the Emirates.
07:14And a real opportunity for Freddy Rincón. A real escape for Moussine Moussaba.
07:22In the Emirates girl.
07:24He's paid a price for it.
07:27Very alert off his line.
07:29To deny Iguaran. But Rincón really should have done better.
07:38Moussine Moussaba forage.
07:42Regarded by many as the best goalkeeper in Asian football.
07:46And he used his leg to great effect there which is more than can be said for Rincón the striker.
07:54Herrera will take the corner himself.
08:00Álvarez.
08:01Álvarez.
08:04And Álvarez is onside here.
08:06And the Emirates defence really stretched.
08:08And a great chance in the corner.
08:15Redin has scored for Colombia.
08:21And the South American side break down the Emirates offside trap for the first time in the game.
08:28And really getting behind enough to create a clear cut chance which Redin was poised enough to take.
08:37Now you can judge the offside for yourself.
08:40It was a good decision. Perfectly timed run.
08:43And once Álvarez was there. And once the goalkeeper Moussaba was committed.
08:48It was just a question of picking out the right man. And Redin was the right man.
08:54Simple header. Perfectly executed.
08:59Composed play by Álvarez.
09:02He was heady territory really in this rather sterile game.
09:07And Redin.
09:09At last takes a chance.
09:11And at last we have a breakthrough.
09:14After six minutes of the second half.
09:16After six minutes of the second half.
09:26And Colombia really should have enough class and experience to make the most of that.
09:32You can only hope that they won't consolidate in a negative way.
09:39No sign of that here. Álvarez!
09:42Lost his berries altogether.
09:46But he lost his marker very well there to create the opening for Redin.
09:52And if he'd looked for support again then he might well have produced a second goal.
09:57Didn't even threaten the frame of the goal.
10:00There'll be a few flutters beneath those red jerseys as Ibrita tries to form a wall.
10:08To maybe repel the last Arab invasion of the afternoon.
10:13Doesn't look too certain about the wall and it's got one or two gaps in it at the moment.
10:20It's not ten yards from the ball.
10:25It wasn't a bad free kick either. He just struck the back of Álvarez.
10:29He was curling down to see that. He's won a corner kick.
10:37Now just five and a half minutes remaining.
10:42And Hikuta is good enough on his goal line.
10:47Kaderama.
10:50High, free kick.
11:01Not long for the Emirates to make their mark on this match.
11:13Álvarez trying to push up offside.
11:19Some are going, some are staying. Got away with it.
11:21Estrada. That's a great goal.
11:23Now what's Valderrama going to do?
11:25We'll see if we've got one of the class performers of the World Cup or not now.
11:33And Valderrama keeps his promise.
11:35All the most talked about man in the build-up to the World Cup.
11:39Gives us plenty to talk about.
11:42Explosive finishing from the man with the explosive hairstyle.
11:47And an explosion of celebration in Bologna from the fans of Colombia.
12:0025 yards, corner of the net.
12:02Dramatic strike by Carlos Valderrama, the Colombian captain.
12:09The man with a foaming bubble of hair.
12:13Perhaps the most recognisable figure in the whole competition.
12:16Gives Colombia a two-goal lead.
12:20And they well have secured their most crucial victory in the competition.
12:25Because you beat them, you win.
12:28And you have a great chance of progressing.
12:42He was playing South American football with the Air three years ago.
12:45He now plays his football in France, Valderrama for Montpellier.
12:50He hasn't settled in immediately in Europe.
12:52He's got a lot of experience.
12:55He's always been a player of great finesse and balance.
12:59And now he's got some end product to chalk up alongside his name.
13:25A chance for the Emirates too.
13:28A great piece of last-ditch defending by Hildardo Gomez.
13:34He's really whipped in, I think he bent a little bit.
13:36Short back-lift.
13:42That was a misleading one.
13:46That might stop its time.
13:48And it's only a match in full play.
13:50And it's only a match in full play.
13:52And a minute of that is enough for George Courtney.
13:55And Colombia, rather gingerly at first.
14:00Have sounded their intentions by making progress through the first trying test of their World Cup pedigree.
14:08And the pedigree of Carlos Valderrama, their captain.
14:13Underlined with an explosive goal.
14:16Ten minutes from the end, or five minutes from the end I should say.
14:19Adding to a goal five minutes into this second half by his midfield player Bernardo Redin.
14:25To give Colombia a 2-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates.
14:29And to give West Germany and Yugoslavia, the recognised frantic teams in this group, at least something to think about.