Panama is set to continue its remarkable journey at the Copa America, facing a formidable opponent in Colombia in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona. Having finished second in Group C, ahead of the United States, Panama has earned its place in the knockout stage after a remarkable turnaround. Following an opening 3-1 loss to Uruguay, Panama secured victories over the United States (2-1) and Bolivia (3-1) to secure their quarter-final berth.
Despite their impressive victories, Panama enters the match as the underdogs against a dominant Colombian side. Panama coach Thomas Christiansen expressed his team’s determination and respect for their opponents, stating, “We’re not going to take anything for granted… If they (Colombia) want to look down on us, that’s their thing. But we are going to take this match very seriously.”
This year marks Panama’s second participation in the Copa America, and their first-ever appearance in the knockout stages. Christiansen acknowledged the significance of this achievement, stating, “I don’t need to tell (his players) anything. They know that they have made history. But we don’t want to stop there. We want to try and go a step further, and hopefully we can do that.”
The winner of the match will advance to the semi-finals in Charlotte, North Carolina, to face either Uruguay or Brazil on Wednesday. Defeating Colombia would be a monumental task for Panama, as the Colombians have enjoyed a remarkable 26-match unbeaten run, recently ending their 10-match winning streak with a 1-1 draw against Brazil.
Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez emphasized the team’s focus and determination, stating, “There’s still a lot of work to do, and on Saturday we have to come out and play very focused. We are going step by step. Panama will be difficult, but we will play with a lot of quality.”
This will be Colombia’s sixth consecutive Copa America quarter-final appearance. They emerged victorious in 2016 and 2021, but suffered penalty shootout defeats in 2015 and 2019. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams eager to secure a place in the semi-finals.
