England vs Colombia preview: Can Harry Kane propel England to victory?

The Three Lions will take on the South Americans on Tuesday in Moscow. Can England keep up their dominant play and advance to the quarterfinals over a strong Colombia squad?

England had a relatively easy group stage until their last game on Thursday when they took on Eden Hazard and Belgium. Both teams rested their starters for this match, but Belgium ended up coming out on the winning end with a 1-0 victory thanks to a beautiful shot from outside the 18 courtesy of Adnan Januzaj.

England impressed in their first two group games though, defeating Tunisia 2-1 thanks to two goals from Harry Kane, then downed Panama by a score of 6-1. Kane tallied three times against Panama, giving him five goals in the World Cup thus far.

Colombia started off group H play with a surprising loss to Japan but went undefeated after that beating both Poland and Senegal. They especially looked good against the Polaks, netting three times and really moving the ball around well in the midfield thanks to some dominant play by James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado.

The Matchup

England looks very fit ahead of their round of 16 clash with the Colombians after resting the majority of their starting XI against the Belgians. They have no injuries to worry about and should look fresh and ready to go on Tuesday evening.

Colombia, on the other hand, could be missing their star midfielder, James Rodriguez. The Bayern Munich man was subbed off 30 minutes into Colombia’s last match against the Senegalese with a calf injury. He will get an MRI before Tuesday’s match, but it is not yet determined if he will play or not.

The two sides have met just six times in the past, with the most recent being an international friendly in 2005. England came out victorious with a 3-2 win thanks to a Michael Owen hat-trick.

Players to watch

England

For England, there are several players who could make an impact in this match. Harry Kane is obviously the main spark offensively for the Three Lions, proving his worth so far in this World Cup with a tournament-leading five tallies. The Tottenham star is a physical presence up front for Gareth Southgate’s side. He also has great soccer IQ and is always in the right place to put the ball in the back of the net.

Another player who has looked impressive for England is Jesse Lingard. The 25-year old Manchester United midfielder brings great creativity and skill to England’s midfield and he has the ability to score at any given time. Lingard scored a beautiful goal in the 6-1 pounding of Panama when he curled a beautiful shot into the top right corner from just outside the box.

Defensively, Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker have been mainstays on the back line on the left and right flanks. they will both look to contain the fast Colombia offense along with John Stones in the middle.

Colombia

The Colombians have had several players in this World Cup who have stepped up to the occasion and played very well.

James Rodriguez, who made international headlines after a stellar 2014 World Cup, has been a mainstay in the midfield for Colombia as per usual. He brings a great mix of speed, skill, and vision to the position and is really a huge part of this Colombia squad. He could be out for this match though after re-aggravating a calf injury, so if that is the case, Colombia could be in trouble.

Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado has been a threat on the right flank for the Colombians, using his speed to soar past defenders and get balls into the box. Cuadrado has scored once in three games so far in the World Cup. The Juve man will definitely be a contributing factor to Colombia’s offense on Tuesday against England.

Radamel Falcao brings experience up front for The Colombians and has played fairly well in Russia with one goal thus far. The 32-year Monaco striker is a natural scorer and has shown the ability in the past to find the net on a consistent basis.

On the back line, 6 foot 5 Yerry Mina has been a pleasant surprise for Colombia. He’s scored twice by rising above opponents and blasting headers into the net. The Barcelona defender is very physical and brings tremendous size and strength to the position.

Predictions

I do believe that if Colombia has any chance in this match against England, they will need James Rodriguez in the lineup. He is so important in their midfield and without him, I don’t know if they have enough to beat a solid English side.

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England has disappointed in numerous big tournaments in the past, but there’s a sense in the air that this time around it could be different. They have looked very good in their first few games and I believe they will come out on top in this match by a score of 2-1. Kane will net at least once and Falcao will find the net for the Colombians.

If James Rodriguez does end up playing, I still believe England’s side will be too much for the Colombians.

The winner of this match will play either Sweden or Switzerland in the Quarterfinals.

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