James Rodriguez’s class took Colombia to the semi-finals with a thrashing of Panama.

James Rodriguez’s class led Colombia to a 5-0 rout of Panama on Saturday to qualify for the Copa America semi-finals in Glendale, Arizona.

The Cafeteros secured qualification in just 15 minutes with two goals, the first of which was eight by Jhon Cordoba from a corner taken by James, who scored the second to close the first quarter of the hour from the penalty spot.

In a game without history, Colombia sentenced the match to half-time in the 41st minute when James scored a quick free-kick in his own half, isolating Luis Diaz, who fired a precise shot past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.

The Colombians slowed down in the second half, already looking to Wednesday’s semi-final against Brazil or Uruguay to repeat the title they won at home in 2001, but still scored two more goals through Richard Rios in the 70th minute and Miguel Borja on 90+4 from the penalty spot.

This makes them on a 27th consecutive game without defeat (21 wins and six draws) since a 1-0 defeat to Argentina on 1 February 2022 in a failed 2022 World Cup qualifier.

The Colombians, who were favourites, were determined to decide the outcome of the game as quickly as possible and after just eight minutes they took the lead: John Cordoba headed the ball straight into the grass and James took a corner from the right.

The advantage on the scoreboard gave even more confidence to the cafeterias, who won a penalty in the 12th minute when Luis Diaz released John Arias, who was brought down in the penalty area by goalkeeper Mosquera. James scored the penalty with the score at 15.

Panama could have ‘resumed’ their semi-final push, or at least dreamed of it again, in the 18th minute, but Roderick Miller’s header hit the left post and goalkeeper Vargas then cleared the ball over the top of the line.

However, it was an almost isolated move in the first half, which did not end without a third goal for the “cafetero”: quickly scoring a free kick, James isolated Luis Diaz, who, seeing the progress of the opposing goalkeeper, made the goal “perfectly”.

Once everything was decided, Colombia started to save players, and between the departures of Luis Diaz and Arias in the 65th minute and Munoz and James in the 72nd minute, they scored the fourth goal with a “shot” from outside the penalty area. Richard Rios, 70.

Panama even tried to score a “goal of honour”, namely through Welch, a player of the Academico de Viseu, who returned to the starting lineup, but at 90+2, Jose Cordoba fouled Santiago Arias in the penalty area, and at 90+4, it was Miguel Borja who scored the fifth goal against the Colombian from the penalty spot. The game ended immediately.