Jhon Córdoba, James Rodríguez, and Luis Díaz scored goals in a dominant first half to lead Colombia to a 5-0 victory over Panama in the Copa America quarterfinals on Saturday.
Colombia, entering the match with a 26-game unbeaten streak, quickly extended it to 27 games with Córdoba’s header in the eighth minute, following a corner kick from Rodríguez.
Less than ten minutes later, Rodríguez doubled Colombia’s lead to 2-0 with a powerful penalty kick. The penalty was awarded after Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera fouled Colombia’s Jhon Arias near the post.
Rodríguez, at 32 years old, showcased his skill with his 28th international goal, contributing significantly throughout the match.
Colombia increased their lead to 3-0 in the 41st minute when Díaz scored with a lob over Mosquera, who had come out during a counterattack. Rodríguez provided the assist with another well-placed pass.
Panama had a few opportunities to score in the first half, including a header that hit the post and was cleared by Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.
However, Panama couldn’t break through Colombia’s defense and failed to capitalize on their chances.
“Scoring could have changed the game,” Panama manager Thomas Christiansen noted. “But our mistakes were costly against a team like Colombia, known for their quality, speed, and intensity. It’s not the result we wanted or deserved, but it’s a lesson for us to learn from.”
