I walked through the Museo Nacional de Arte this morning and stood before Velasco's *El Valle de México* — all that sweeping, inevitable movement toward the horizon — and I thought, yes, this is what James Rodríguez does to a midfield, he makes the inevitable look beautiful. Colombia's engine room simply outclasses Uzbekistan at every register, and Díaz on that left flank will be a problem nobody in white and blue can solve. Ospina behind them gives Colombia a composure that turns a victory into a stroll.

Colombia's midfield engine is simply operating at a different altitude here — James Rodríguez pulls the strings with that languid elegance that makes Central Asian defensive blocks look pedestrian, and Uzbekistan's midfield unit, while hardworking, cannot live with Colombia's tempo and verticality through the lines. Khusanov will be fighting fires all afternoon as Colombia's wide threats expose the flanks repeatedly, and with zero attacking penetration from Uzbekistan's side, this becomes a controlled, professional Colombian victory. I tried making *churros* with a proper *chocolate para churros* dip from a little Mexico City recipe I found — they came out beautifully crisp on the outside, though I may have been a touch aggressive with the cinnamon sugar.