Preview
- Tournament: Copa America 2024
- Date: Saturday, 6th July
- Kick-off time: 10:00 PM GMT
- Venue: University of Phoenix Stadium
The Copa America 2024 quarter-finals have arrived as Colombia and Panama are on a collision course in the third quarter-final game of the soccer tournament. The participants of the knockout game had different kinds of journeys to reach at this stage. Colombia justified its “dark horse” tag by finishing at the top of the group D where powerful teams such as Brazil, Costa Rica, and Paraguay locked horns with each other. Los Cafeteros come into this knockout fixture off the back of a fighting 1-1 draw against a star-studded Brazil side.
For Panama, their participation in the Copa America 2024 quarter-finals was like a fairytale. They got off to a horrible start to the South American Championship after suffering a 1-3 hammering to high-flying Uruguay in their opening fixture. However, they came back to winning ways with a statement victory against the hosts USA before signing off with a 3-1 victory against Jamaica. Now, they face a stern challenge in the quarterfinals where their mettle will be put to test in the toughest way possible.
Colombia, headed by Nestor Lorenzo, have been a brute force in this Copa campaign. A perfect blend of experience and youthful energy has made Los Cafeteros a team to beat. A top finish in the group of death is quite a remarkable achievement, and the James Rodriguez-led side made it look easy. They will look to continue their domination in the quarterfinals as well against a low-seeded Panamanian team, who had also come through a troublesome path in the process.
Also Read: Copa America 2024: Detailed Analysis of Round 3 and Quarterfinals Prediction
Colombia vs Panama Team News
Colombia National Football Team News
Ahead of the Panama contest, Nestor Lorenzo’s side has dealt a huge blow as the Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma will miss out due to a one-game suspension. The availability of John Lucumi on Saturday night is also doubtful. The Bologna center-back couldn’t feature against Brazil due to muscular discomfort and is yet to recover from that injury. Skipper James Rodriguez will continue to run the midfield, while Liverpool star Luis Diaz will be leading the attacking front. Rodriguez is yet to open his goal-scoring chart but has orchestrated scoring opportunities so far. The former Real Madrid midfielder is going to make a record 104th appearance for Colombia against Panama.
Panama National Football Team News
A straight red card against the USA in the previous game will keep Adalberto Carrasquilla out of the squad. Jose Fajardo Nelson has recorded two Copa America strikes so far and will look to add a few in the tournament.
Colombia vs Panama Predicted Line-ups
Colombia National Football Team Predicted Lineup: Vargas; Sanchez, Munoz, Machado, Cuesta; Uribe, Castano, Arias; Sinisterra, Rodriguez, Diaz
Panamá National Football Team Predicted Lineup: Mosquera; Farina, Farina, Miller, Cordoba, Davis; Welch, Rodriguez, Martinez, Barcenas; Fajardo
Colombia vs Panama Head-to-head Stats
These two soccer playing nations have locked horns on four occasions at the international level. Both Colombia and Panama have won two games each in these matches. Their recent battle saw La Tricolour recording a comfortable 3-0 victory in an international friendly.
Last four H2H Results:
Colombia 3-0 Panama (2019, International friendly)
Panama 0-4 Colombia (2007, International Cup Friendly)
Colombia 2-3 Panama (2005, Gold Cup)
Colombia 0-1 Panama (2005, Gold Cup)
Key Players to Watch in Colombia vs Panama
James Rodriguez (Colombia)
As the skipper of the Los Cafeteros, James Rodriguez has been leading the Colombians from the front. The 2014 World Cup golden boy is the top assist maker in the Copa America 2024 tournament, with three assists to his name so far. He has been a mainstay for Colombia for over a decade now, and has the ability to guide his nation to the top honors. He is the heart of Lorenzo’s midfield.
Jose Fajardo Nelson (Panama)
The 30-year-old forward has become the main face of the Panamanian attack. With two goals in three appearances, he is also in contention to win the Copa America 2024 Golden Boot. Jose Fajardo is the only Panama player to score two goals in a single Copa America campaign. His team will heavily rely on him to deliver against a well-organized Colombian defense.
Colombia vs Panama Prediction
Los Cafeteros have scored six goals in their three group-stage games, while Panama have conceded five. James Rodriguez’s side went against some of the top teams in the world, still managing to allow only two goals in three fixtures. This stat shows how good this side has been defensively, despite most of the big names plying their trade in the attacking department.
It’s needless to say that Colombia is stronger than Panama on all fronts. They have better quality in attack, midfield and defense. Hence, they are favorites to edge past their opponents to progress into the semifinals. But, the recent head-to-head history of these nations is evenly balanced, indicating against any crystal clear prediction. Despite all these facts, Colombia will be clinching a hard-fought victory on Saturday night.
Predicted Score: Colombia 3-1 Panama
Where to Watch Colombia vs Panama Live?
Q. Where to watch Colombia vs Panama live in India?
FanCode will provide the live telecast of Colombia vs Panama in India.
Q. Where to watch Colombia vs Panama live in the USA?
FOX Sports and TUDN will telecast the Colombia vs Panama match live in the USA.
Q. Where to watch Colombia vs Panama live in the UK?
Premier Sports will telecast the Colombia vs Panama game live in the UK.
Q. Where to watch Colombia vs Panama live in Colombia?
The Colombia vs Panama match will be telecasted across Caracol, RCN and DSports in Colombia.
Q. Where to watch Colombia vs Panama live in Panama?
RPC Television and TVMax will provide the live telecast and streaming of this match in Panama.
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