Philadelphia Union captain Carlos Valdés has carried his impressive club form onto the international stage after playing all 90 minutes as Colombia upset the odds to thrash Uruguay 4-0 on Friday.
The MLS All-Star was handed a place in his country’s defensive line during Friday’s FIFA World Cup™ qualifier after returning to the squad for the first time since 2010, contributing to a clean sheet against one of South America’s most potent attacking forces.
Goals from Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, Napoli defender Juan Camilo Zuniga and two strikes from Teofilo Gutierrez gave the home side a convincing win in front of a partisan crowd in Barranquilla, putting Colombia in fifth position in the South American qualifying zone – and just three points shy of group leaders Argentina – as they fight for a place at the World Cup tournament in Brazil in 2014.
Valdés has now travelled to Chilean capital Santiago with the Colombian national team ahead of tomorrow’s qualifier between the countries (3:30pm ET) before he returns to Philadelphia ahead of Saturday’s MLS trip to Toronto.
The Union will travel to BMO Field hot on the heels of Canada’s 1-0 World Cup qualification victory over Panama at the same stadium, where Union midfielder Gabriel Gómez was an unused substitute.
Dwayne De Rosario’s solitary goal meant Canada leapfrogged Panama into top spot in Group C of the CONCACAF region, with the two countries meeting again in the return qualification game in Panama City tomorrow night (9:05pm ET).
