qualifying after keeping a second successive clean
sheet.
Captain Diego Godin led the way again as Uruguay made it two
wins from as many World Cup qualifiers with a 3-0 victory over
Colombia.
Godin was on target last week as Uruguay kicked off the
CONMEBOL qualifiers in perfect fashion, beating Bolivia 2-0
away from home.
The commanding centre-back scored Uruguay's second against
the Bolivians and he was at it again in Montevideo on Tuesday.
Godin headed powerfully past Colombia goalkeeper David
Ospina in the 34th minute and striker Diego Rolan doubled the
lead six minutes into the second half.
Second-half substitute Abel Hernandez sealed the points two
minutes from time as Uruguay, who made it nine games
unbeaten in World Cup qualifiers at home, preserved their 100
per cent record.
Making matters worse for Colombia, Juan Cuadrado saw red in
additional time for an elbow on Rolan.
Uruguay made two changes to the team that overcame Bolivia,
Maxi Pereira and Rolan coming in for Cristian Rodriguez and
Hernandez respectively.
Jose Pekerman kept faith with the 11 Colombia players that saw
off Peru 2-0.
The fixture started relatively tentatively as both teams settled
into their rhythm at Estadio Centenario, where Teo Gutierrez and
Carlos Bacca were preferred to Jackson Martinez and Radamel
Falcao.
Uruguay, though, were dealt a blow just 16 minutes in, when
Martin Caceres - the goalscoring hero from the opening match -
was forced from the pitch after appearing to twist his ankle in a
collision with Juventus team-mate Cuadrado.
He was replaced by Nicolas Lodeiro.
Uruguay slowly asserted their dominance on proceedings and
Godin went close to breaking the deadlock with a towering
header that flashed wide of the post.
After his initial warning shot, Godin sent a bullet header past
Ospina as Uruguay took a 34th-minute lead.
Carlos Sanchez whipped in a corner and Godin met the set-
piece powerfully, leaving Ospina helpless.
The Uruguayans almost made it 2-0 moments later but Rolan
failed to connect with Alvaro Pereira's cross, while Ospina was
on hand to thwart Christian Stuani from inside the six-yard box
before half-time.
Uruguay continued where they left off after the break, Rolan
doubling the home team's lead in the 51st minute.
A ball into the penalty area from Lodeiro eluded two Colombia
defenders and picked out Rolan, who scooped the ball over
Ospina.
Colombia barely offered a threat in the attacking third, but they
were denied by the crossbar after Bacca's looping header
clipped the woodwork approaching the hour-mark.
The Colombians pressed forward during the remaining 15
minutes in search of a way back into the contest but even the
introduction of Falcao offered no reward as Rolan put the icing
on the cake with a powerful strike into the roof of the net from
an acute angle.
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