NEW YORK, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Colombia manager Nestor Lorenzo urged fans to show patience on Thursday, emphasizing his team is in the first stage of a rebuilding process.
The comments followed Colombia's 1-1 friendly draw with Mexico in Baltimore on Saturday, the team's first outing since its July defeat to Switzerland in the World Cup round of 16.
"Right now, we're in a building phase," Lorenzo told reporters ahead of Friday's friendly against Paraguay in New Jersey. "To be honest, the team isn't fully formed yet."
Colombia's squad has a vastly different look to the one that featured at this year's FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Absentees include James Rodriguez, Colombia's most capped player, and Juan Fernando Quintero, who both announced their retirement from international football last month.
Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz and Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma are also missing from the current squad after being given time to rest.
Newcomers include Birmingham City midfielder Jhon Solis, Zenit St. Petersburg defender Kevin Andrade and Independiente del Valle goalkeeper Aldair Quintana.
Lorenzo stated that his primary goal is to assemble a squad capable of qualifying for the 2030 World Cup.
"I'm calm because this is a team undergoing a transition right now, with a few new additions. That's going to take time, but it's completely natural," the Argentine added.
Colombia will conclude the international window with a friendly against Peru in Miami on October 6. ■
