James Rodriguez and Luis Diaz shone brightly as Colombia smoothly advanced to the Copa America quarter-finals by thrashing Costa Rica.
In a match at State Farm Stadium last Friday, Colombia clinched their spot atop Group D with ease.
A mere draw against Brazil in their upcoming encounter will position Colombia above the already thriving Selecao, who recently trounced Paraguay 4-1.
James stood out, engineering five pivotal opportunities and delivering a sterling assist to Jhon Cordoba, who netted the third goal at minute 62 after strikes from Luis Diaz and Davinson Sanchez.
Although the ex-Real Madrid wizard exited the pitch in the 72nd minute, Coach Lorenzo assured it was merely a tactical precaution.
“James is alright,” Lorenzo reassured the press. “He was eager to stay on, yet with future contests in mind, substituting him seemed wise.”
Having faced exclusion from the national team in 2021, James has made a resounding comeback, tallying three assists in just two games during this year’s Copa America.
Since records began in 2011, only Lionel Messi has exceeded James’s assist tally in a single Copa campaign, crafting five in 2021 and four in 2016.
Colombia, now unbeaten in 25 games (20 victories, five draws), are experiencing their second-longest invincible stretch, just shy of a 27-match streak from 1992 to 1994.
“We’ve consistently outplayed formidable opponents,” Lorenzo noted, reflecting on Colombia’s 11th triumph over Costa Rica in 14 encounters.
“Our command was emphatic and sustained. The lads delivered a stellar performance.”
If Colombia secures the top place in Group D, they might dodge a clash with Marcelo Bielsa’s peaking Uruguay team in the quarterfinals.
