Under the glaring Arizona sun, Glendale became a haven of Colombian triumph as the stalwarts of South American soccer demonstrated an offensive blitz against Panama, slaughtering them with a staggering score of 5-0 during the quarterfinals of the prestigious Copa America. The victory, which unfolded on Saturday, extended Colombia’s unbeaten streak to 27 matches, adorned with the triumphant echoes of roaring fans in their bright yellow jerseys.
The Colombian onslaught began in the eighth minute, when Jhon Córdoba found a crack in Panama’s defenses, sending a well-aimed header darting into the bottom corner of the net. The stunning goal, which followed an eloquently placed corner kick by James Rodríguez, set the tone for what was to become a relentless channel of Colombian supremacy.
The Colombian squad, affectionately known as ‘Los Cafeteros,’ doubled their lead within ten minutes. This time it was Rodríguez, wielding his power and precision with a definitive penalty kick. The penalty opportunity arose after Panama’s goalie, Orlando Mosquera, inadvertently upended Colombia’s Jhon Arias during a spirited charge to save the ball from slipping out of bounds. The phenomenal Rodríguez has now racked up an impressive total of 28 goals in international play, radiating excellence on the field that never fails to captivate the audience.
Colombian coach, Néstor Lorenzo, indeed summed it up, “He’s a good player, there’s nothing to explain. He’s a player who is happy inside the field.”
By the 41st minute, Colombia accrued another goal. This time it was Luis Díaz who found Mosquera off-guard, expertly lobbing a shot that left the goalie grasping at thin air. Rodríguez, demonstrating yet again his skill and efficacy, provided the assist.
Panama, despite being cornered, had a few promising moments, including a header that ricocheted off the post, only to be repelled by Colombia’s vigilant goalie, Camilo Vargas. However, these isolated bursts of potential couldn’t put any dent in Colombia’s solid lead.
Thomas Christiansen, Panama’s manager, reflected on the encounter, “Perhaps that could have brought us back in the game,” he said. “But the mistakes we had — that’s not possible against teams like Colombia with their quality, speed and intensity. It’s not the result we wanted, not the result we deserved, but we have to learn from it.”
The Colombian reign continued, adding two more goals to their tally; a blazing right-footed shot in the 70th minute by Richard Ríos and a final flourish, a penalty conversion by Miguel Borja during stoppage time.
Despite possessing the ball for a slightly higher 52% of the match, the quality of Colombia’s possessions decidedly outclassed their opponents’. Colombia is now brace themselves for a semifinal clash against Uruguay in Charlotte, North Carolina, who pulled off a 4-2 victory against Brazil on penalty kicks earlier that same Saturday.
Turning the State Farm Stadium into a sea of yellow, an estimated 39,740 fans trooped in to witness the match. Despite temperatures flirting with a scorching 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius), spirits remained undaunted as the stadium, clad with its retractable roof, stood as a testament to Colombia’s home-field advantage.
This loss sees Panama bow out of what was an unexpected journey to the quarterfinals, a run that notably included a 2-1 victory over the United States during group play.
