James Rodriguez stole the present with a objective and two assists as Colombia breezed into the Copa America semi-finals after brushing Panama apart with a 5-0 thrashing on Saturday.
Colombia captain Rodriguez teed up Jhon Cordoba’s opener and Luis Diaz’s cool lob both facet of his personal Fifteenth-minute penalty at State Farm Stadium.
Richard Rios hammered residence one other after 70 minutes in weird circumstances after the referee appeared to blow for a Colombia penalty, then Miguel Borja transformed when Nestor Lorenzo’s facet had been awarded one other spot-kick in stoppage time.
Having dispatched Panama with ease, a semi-final assembly with both Brazil or Uruguay awaits for Colombia, who’ve reached the final 4 in three of their final 4 Copa tournaments.
Luis Díaz crowns James Rodríguez pic.twitter.com/JEf4Khim3d
— CONMEBOL Copa América™️ ENG (@copaamerica_ENG) July 6, 2024
Colombia wanted simply eight minutes to open the scoring as Cordoba discovered area contained in the six-yard field, diving low to move Rodriguez’s right-sided nook previous Orlando Mosquera.
Jose Fajardo blazed over in response however Lorenzo’s facet would quickly prolong their benefit solely seven minutes after taking the lead.
Panama goalkeeper Mosquera felled the onrushing Jhon Arias, with a prolonged VAR test reviewing a possible offside within the build-up earlier than the penalty determination was confirmed.
But that stoppage did not detract from Rodriguez’s focus because the attacking midfielder hammered into the top-right nook from 12 yards, sending Mosquera the improper manner.
Panama nearly halved the arrears quickly after, although Edgardo Farina’s header from Eric Davis’ free-kick cannoned in opposition to the left put up earlier than Camilo Vargas someway parried away on the road.
Thomas Christensen’s facet suffered additional injury simply earlier than the break as Rodriguez’s quick-thinking free-kick from inside his personal half arrange Diaz to lob the stranded Mosquera from simply exterior the Panama field.
Updating this graphic greater than anticipated tonight. Make it 5 #CopaAmerica2024 assists and a objective for James after three first-half objective involvements in opposition to Panama. pic.twitter.com/Rt1XoXTvrz
— Opta Analyst US (@OptaAnalystUS) July 6, 2024
Panama offered a battling efficiency of some kinds within the second half, but for the improper causes as quite a few fouls slowed the sport down with Jovani Welch and Farina each cautioned.
Daniel Munoz was then felled because the referee appeared to blow his whistle and level to the penalty spot, just for Rios to arrow into the bottom-right nook from vary to make the benefit depend.
Christensen and the Panama bench reduce pissed off figures following that odd refereeing sequence, and that annoyance furthered when Borja slotted a stoppage-time penalty into the bottom-right nook after Jose Cordoba clumsily hacked down Santiago Arias.
Who can cease Rodriguez-inspired Colombia?
Lorenzo’s males are actually a outstanding 27 video games unbeaten after their dominant victory, although an enormous check awaits them within the semi-finals in opposition to both Uruguay or Brazil.
But each of these sides could also be no match for Colombia if Rodriguez’s imperious kind is something to go by.
The Sao Paolo midfielder is the primary participant within the Copa America to each rating and help throughout the opening quarter-hour of a match, since such information started in 2011.
Rodriguez can be the primary participant on the 2024 version to succeed in six objective involvements (one objective, 5 assists), forward of Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez and Venezuela’s Salomon Rondon (each 4).
The Colombia captain’s 5 assists are three greater than another participant to date at this Copa. Will that creativity lead Lorenzo’s facet to glory?
HIM pic.twitter.com/wF37rF5dow
— CONMEBOL Copa América™️ ENG (@copaamerica_ENG) July 6, 2024
Panama ache
The 2024 version of the Copa America marked solely Panama’s second participation, with this their first occasion of constructing the knockout levels.
Panama might have been assured for this one, too, having received 4 of their earlier seven aggressive conferences this century in opposition to CONMEBOL sides (three defeats).
Certainly, two of these victories got here in opposition to Colombia (each on the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup), and Christensen’s crew impressed this yr in Group C to pip america to second.
But they had been introduced crashing again right down to earth right here, with no manner again after a first-half blitz from an imperious Colombia facet.
