GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Jhon Córdoba, James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz scored objectives throughout a dominant first half to spark Colombia to a 5-0 win over Panama within the quarterfinals of the Copa America on Saturday.
Colombia — which got here into Saturday on a 26-match unbeaten streak — wasted little time on No. 27 when Córdoba’s well-placed header within the eighth minute discovered the underside nook of the online following a nook kick from Rodríguez.
Los Cafeteros pushed forward 2-0 lower than 10 minutes later on Rodríguez’s highly effective penalty kick. Colombia was awarded the penalty after Panama goalie Orlando Mosquera tripped up Colombia’s Jhon Arias, who was sprinting to avoid wasting the ball from going out of bounds close to the submit.
It was the 32-year-old Rodríguez’s twenty eighth objective in worldwide play and his all-around excellence was on full show towards Panama.
“He is a superb participant, there’s nothing to elucidate,” stated Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo. “He is a participant who’s joyful inside the sphere.”
Colombia made it 3-0 within the forty first minute when Díaz lobbed a shot over Mosquera, who had charged ahead in the course of the breakaway. The objective was arrange by one other good move from Rodríguez.
Panama had a couple of first rate probabilities to attain within the first half, together with a header that bounced off the submit earlier than being swatted out of hazard by Colombia goalie Camilo Vargas.
However Los Canaleros might by no means make a dent within the lead.
“Maybe that would have introduced us again within the sport,” Panama supervisor Thomas Christiansen stated. “However the errors we had — that is not doable towards groups like Colombia with their high quality, velocity and depth. It is not the outcome we wished, not the outcome we deserved, however we’ve to study from it.”
Colombia scored its fourth objective within the seventieth minute when Richard Ríos blasted a protracted right-footed shot previous Mosquera into the underside left nook of the online. The ultimate objective got here in stoppage time when Miguel Borja transformed a penalty kick.
Los Cafeteros had a slight benefit in time of possession at 52%, however the high quality of their possessions was far superior.
Colombia will play within the semifinals on Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, towards Uruguay, which beat Brazil 4-2 on penalty kicks later Saturday.
The heavily-favored Colombians loved an enormous residence discipline benefit in entrance of introduced crowd of 39,740 at State Farm Stadium, with most followers donning the group’s vibrant yellow jerseys. The stadium’s retractable roof was closed due to temperatures that hovered round 115 levels Fahrenheit (46 levels Celsius) outdoors.
Panama’s surprising run to the quarterfinals included a 2-1 win over the US throughout group play.
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AP Copa America protection: https://apnews.com/hub/copa-america