Winner takes it all. The equation for the USA and Colombia is simple as they go into a two-legged play-off for the final place in the men’s football tournament at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The first match is on Friday (25 March) in the Colombian city of Barranquilla, and the visiting players know it’s going to be intense.

“The atmosphere down there is going to be tough. The Colombian fans will be yelling in our faces”

Jordan Morris, USA forward

Seattle Sounders player Morris, who has played for the US senior team nine times, said the aim was to return to the States in a good position for the second leg, on Tuesday (29 March) in Frisco, Texas. “We know we have to come out of the away game with a decent result,” he said in an interview with the US Soccer website.

“The Olympics is a childhood dream, we all watched it growing up, and we’re two games away now. We want it really bad, and we’re going to try and show the world what we’re made of.”

Morris (9) leads the celebrations after scoring against Canada in the qualifying tournament (Photo: Getty Images/Jamei Squire)

The USA seemed on course to qualify for the Olympic Games from their continental qualifying tournament on home soil last October. They won all three of their group matches but fell in the semi-finals to Honduras, who qualified for Rio along with defending Olympic champions Mexico, who beat the Hondurans in the final.

Morris and Co managed to defeat Canada in the third-place play-off, thus setting up the showdown with Colombia, who finished second in the South American qualifier, which was won by Argentina.

Morris, who scored three goals in the qualifying tournament, is one of 12 players from that campaign who have been called up for the play-off, along with Stuttgart’s Jerome Kiesewetter, who netted four times. Other highlights in Andi Herzog’s squad are their 2015 Young Player of the Year and recent Chelsea signing Matt Miazga, and Bayern Munich midfielder Julian Green, who scored a spectaular goal against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup.

Julian Green celebrates his goal against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup (Photo: Getty Images/Kevin C. Cox)

Colombia coach Carlos ‘Piscis’ Restrepo has selected a squad of players who mostly play in their domestic league, although including several who have represented the senior team. Among the headliners are Santos Laguna forward Andres Renteria and midfielder Juan Fernando Quintero, who plays at French club Rennes and represented his nation at the 2014 World Cup.

In an interview with the Colombian web edition of the Spanish newspaper AS, Restrepo said: “There is always commitment and even more when all Colombians are hoping to return to the Olympic Games (for the first time since 1992).

“I am confident, I am very positive and I believe we will have good news on the 29th”

Colombia coach Carlos Restrepo

Quintero looks the skies after scoring against Ivory Coast at the 2014 World Cup (Photo: Getty Images/ Gabriel Rossi )

The winner of the play-off will join the following sides in the 16-team men’s Olympic football tournament in August: Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Fiji, Mexico, Honduras, Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa, Japan, Republic of Korea, Iraq.

The women’s line-up is already complete, after Sweden became the 12th team to qualify earlier this month. The draw for the two tournaments will be staged at the Maracanã Stadium on 14 April.

Follow the race to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
 

Rio2016.com is not an absolute authority on qualification for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which is an ongoing process. Final places will only be confirmed in July 2016 (for the Olympic Games) and August 2016 (for the Paralympic Games). The qualification systems are defined by each sport’s respective International Federation and the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee, and are subject to change. When an athlete or team wins a quota place for their nation, the final decision on whether this ‘slot’ is used and which athletes are sent is taken by the respective National Olympic Committee or National Paralympic Committee (NOC or NPC). Even when athletes win a ‘nominal’ place for themselves, NOCs/NPCs may have to decide who to send if the number of qualified athletes from one country exceeds the quota.