Colombia Advances to Copa America Quarterfinals with 3-0 Victory Over Costa Rica
In a commanding display at State Farm Stadium, Colombia secured their spot in the Copa America quarterfinals with a resounding 3-0 win against Costa Rica on Friday. Davinson Sánchez and Jhon Córdoba scored within three minutes of each other in the second half, following Luis Díaz's penalty kick in the 31st minute that gave Colombia a 1-0 lead at halftime.
Colombia maintained their dominance in possession, holding 62% of the ball possession for the second consecutive game. They outshot Costa Rica 14-5, exemplifying their control throughout the match. The match was witnessed by 27,386 enthusiastic Colombian supporters.
With this victory, Colombia tops Group D and sets up a crucial encounter against Brazil in Santa Clara, California, for their final group stage match on Tuesday. Colombia remains undefeated in their last 25 games (20-0-5) since their loss to Argentina in a 2022 World Cup qualifier. Conversely, Costa Rica struggled to produce any shots on goal during the match.
"We dominated the game from start to finish today," remarked Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo through an interpreter, highlighting his team's comprehensive performance.
Costa Rica, who earlier held Brazil to a goalless draw, faced a daunting challenge against Colombia. "The opposition was clearly on a different level," admitted Costa Rica coach Gustavo Alfaro.
In their opening 2-1 victory over Paraguay, Colombia also exhibited strong possession with 66% of the ball. Díaz and James Rodríguez had early chances for Colombia, with Díaz converting a penalty after a foul on Córdoba at the edge of the penalty box.
Sánchez extended Colombia's lead to 2-0 with a well-timed header from a corner kick in the 59th minute, while Córdoba secured the victory by beating Costa Rica's goalkeeper, Patrick Sequeira, from a difficult angle shortly after.
"We're not just a talented team, but we also demonstrate strong character," emphasized Lorenzo, reflecting on his team's performance. "It's not magic; it's the quality of our players and our adherence to the game plan."
