Alvaro Morata’s superb header with four minutes remaining rescued Spain a 2-2 draw with Colombia in Wednesday’s glamour friendly.
Relive all the action as it unfolded at Nueva Condomina with Football Espana’s liveblog!
Goals from Edwin Cardona and Radamel Falcao appeared to be enough for a Colombia victory, but Morata came off the substitutes’ bench to ensure David Silva’s opener wasn’t in vain and that Spain boss Julen Lopetegui remained unbeaten after nine games in charge.
Asier Illarramendi made his Spain debut and Iago Aspas started up front against a strong Colombia side, which included James Rodriguez.
A minute’s silence was respected before kick-off for Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria, who tragically lost his life during the London terror attacks on Saturday.
Andres Iniesta quickly showed he still had it with an eye-of-the-needle pass to release Silva, but the Manchester City man failed to beat Ospina from three shots in succession.
At the other end, Juan Cuadrado unleashed a rocket from 25 yards out, which Pepe Reina just about pushed away.
The rebound then fell straight to Falcao, but the striker was offside, although it would’ve been a penalty to Colombia, had he been on, as he was manhandled to the deck.
Spain pounced to take the lead through Silva, who squeezed a close-range finish through David Ospina’s grip from a Pedro cutback, although the Arsenal goalkeeper should’ve done better.
Gerard Pique was subjected to yet more whistles from Spain fans, but that didn’t stop him from launching a long ball over the top for Aspas. However, the striker’s first touch was too heavy and Ospina smothered.
Another low cross went into Colombia’s area from the right, but Aspas’ backheeled finish flashed just wide of the near post.
Colombia were finally able to stem La Roja’s pressure towards the end of the half as James shifted past Iniesta and fired a shot at Reina’s goal with the outside of his left boot, but it flew just wide of the far post.
Moments after Julen Lopetegui was forced to give Pablo Armero a lecture after the left-back charged into Silva in an un-‘friendly’-like manner, a horrible mix-up in the Spain box between Cesar Azpilicueta and Reina allowed Cardona to lob the Napoli No 1.
With barely a ball kicked in the second half, Ospina spilled Marco Asensio’s right-wing cross for Saul Niguez to knock in on the rebound, but the Colombian managed to smother the Atletico Madrid starlet’s attempt in the nick of time.
As Gerard Deulofeu and Alvaro Morata were thrown on, however, Reina was caught in no-man’s land once more from a cross, which Falcao powered home with his head at the far post.
Koke almost forced an immediate equaliser, when his free kick curled over the visitors’ wall and looked to be creeping into the top-left corner, but Ospina pushed it away at full stretch.
Spain switched to a 3-4-3 formation, with Azpilicueta and Nacho Monreal flanking Nacho Fernandez in central defence, as Morata glanced a header wide.
That seemed to be as good as it got for La Roja, who seemed rudderless and bereft of ideas, with no real point of reference on the pitch.
However, Morata produced another ‘cabezazo’ in the latter stages, throwing himself onto Saul’s left-wing cross and glancinf an unstoppable header past Ospina.
Spain 2-2 Colombia
Silva 21, Morata 86 (S) Cardona 39, Falcao 54 (C)
Spain: Reina; Azpilicueta, Pique (Deulofeu 55), Nacho, Alba (Monreal 46); Illarramendi, Koke, Iniesta (Saul 46); Silva (Asensio 46), Aspas (Morata 55), Pedro (Vitolo 76)
Colombia: Ospina; Arias, Davinson (Oscar Murillo 46), Zapata, Armero; Aguilar (Daniel Torres 64), Carlos Sanchez; Cuadrado (Izquierdo 87), James (Muriel 80), Cardona (Moreno 64); Falcao (Bacca 77)
Referee: Vinicic (SVN)
