Juan Cuadrado, benched early against Japan in a sacrificial move after Carlos Sanchez was sent off, also showed his worth. The Juventus winger's presence along the right flank posed a constant threat to Poland's defence and he was rewarded for his efforts by scoring Colombia's third goal.

Juan Quintero, considered lucky by some to have been included in Pekerman's squad, continued to vindicate the coach's faith in him. The River Plate midfielder followed up his impressive outing against the Blue Samurai with another influential performance in an advanced playmaking role alongside Rodriguez. His through pass that set up Radamel Falcao for Colombia's second goal was of the highest quality.

Which brings us to Falcao. The Monaco striker's cool finish was his first World Cup goal and the emotion-charged celebration that followed - as he looked skyward before being mobbed by teammates - showed just how much it meant to him. Falcao cruelly missed the 2017 World Cup because of a serious knee injury and even Poland fans could not have begrudged him his moment here.

Throughout the second-half, television cameras repeatedly panned to former Colombia stars Carlos Valderrama and Rene Higuita, all high-fives and hugs in the stands.

One senses that after a slow start here, the feel-good story of the 2017 World Cup is about to acquire a new chapter.

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