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Jhon Cordoba, James Rodriguez and Luis Diaz scored goals during a dominant first half.
Colombia's commanding 5-0 victory over Panama orchestrated by James Rodriguez propelled the team into the semi-finals of Copa America 2024 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
The match began explosively for Los Cafeteros, as Rodríguez showcased his prowess from set-pieces early on. Just eight minutes into the encounter, he whipped in a tantalizing inswinging corner, finding the head of Jhon Córdoba who made no mistake in nodding home from close range.
Rodríguez was not finished there, as he doubled Colombia's advantage a mere seven minutes later. The crafty midfielder earned a penalty for his side, drawing a foul from Panama's goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera and defender Edgardo Fariña in the area.
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15:35 - 06.07.2024
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Brazil's shaky group stage performances could be exploited by Uruguay's ruthless and direct play style.
Showing nerves of steel, Rodríguez confidently stepped up to the spot, sending Mosquera the wrong way to register his first international goal since October and put his team firmly in control.
Colombia's dominance continued unabated, despite a brief scare when Panama struck the post from a free-kick. Rodríguez once again turned provider just before halftime, masterminding a quick free-kick that caught Panama's defense off guard.
Spotting the darting run of Luis Díaz, Rodríguez lofted a perfectly-weighted pass over the stranded Mosquera, allowing Díaz to calmly slot home Colombia's third goal.
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02:00 - 07.07.2024
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Turkey took the lead 10 minutes to half time but two quick goals in the second half sent them home.
As the second half unfolded, Panama struggled to mount a comeback, with Colombia dictating play. The match appeared to be winding down until Daniel Muñoz was fouled on the edge of the box, sparking late drama.
With the Colombian side appealing for a penalty, Richard Ríos seized the opportunity and unleashed a thunderous strike from 25 yards out, leaving Mosquera rooted to the spot and extending Colombia's lead to 4-0.
21:55 - 06.07.2024
EURO 2024: Netherlands roar back to beat Turkey and book semi-final against England
The Netherlands complete the final four of the European Championships, after sealing a comeback victory against Turkey.
The final moments saw Panama's frustration boil over, culminating in a reckless challenge by José Córdoba on Santiago Arias deep into injury time. The resulting penalty provided James Rodríguez with another chance to shine, albeit indirectly this time, as Miguel Borja calmly converted from the spot to cap off Colombia's resounding 5-0 triumph.
With this emphatic victory, Colombia advances to the Copa America semi-finals, where they await the winner between Uruguay and Brazil. James Rodríguez's influential performance, marked by a goal and two assists, underscored his pivotal role in guiding Néstor Lorenzo's side closer to continental glory once more.
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