James Rodriguez’s double secured a deserved victory for Colombia over Uruguay and earned them a World Cup quarter-final place for the first time.
This is only the second time these nations have faced off in a World Cup, the other being in 1962 when Uruguay fought back from a goal down to win 2-1. However, that was a group phase game and neither of them progressed to the knockouts.
Diego Forlan returned to the Uruguay XI in place of Luis Suarez, who served the first of his nine-match international ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.
Colombia meanwhile lined up in a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Jackson Martinez and Teofilo Gutierrez supported by Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado.
The opening stages of the match were cagey with no real chances of note created. Uruguay were content to sit back and allow their opponents to dictate possession, while Colombia lacked the sort of cutting edge that saw them sail through the Group Stages with maximum points.
The way the game was progressing, it was always likely that a breakthrough would come either through a mistake or a moment of magic. It proved to be the latter.
When Rodriguez took the ball down on his chest 25 yards from goal, there seemed little danger for the Uruguayans. However, the 22-year-old proceeded to smash home a wonderful left-foot volley past the helpless Fernando Muslera via the underside of the crossbar. It arguably bettered Tim Cahill's strike for Australia against Holland earlier in the tournament.
Oscar Tabarez’s side showed more attacking intent after going behind. Edinson Cavani curled a free-kick just over and Colombia keeper David Ospina had to be alert to beat away a shot. However, they were unable to fashion a clear opening before the break.
If Tabarez wanted his side to begin the second period in a more positive manner than the first, it backfired as Colombia doubled their lead five minutes after the restart.
An excellent move ended with Pablo Armero swinging the ball in from the left, Cuadrado heading the ball back across goal and that man again Rodriguez applying the finish. It was a fine team goal.
Uruguay immediately threw on two substitutes as they looked to respond. Cristian Rodriguez stung the palms of Ospina from range just after the hour mark, but again the shot-stopper was equal to the task.
Marauding right-back Maxi Pereira was arguably Uruguay’s biggest threat of the night and he went close to pulling a goal back with just over 10 minutes remaining. He got in behind the Colombian defence and brought a searching through ball under his control, but his effort was well charged down by Ospina.
The goalkeeper also had to be alert to keep out Cavani’s low drive before the star of the show Rodriguez left the field to a standing ovation when he was substituted.
Jose Pekerman’s team comfortably saw out the remainder of the match and they are sure to provide Brazil a real game when the two teams meet in the quarter-finals.
Colombia 2 – 0 Uruguay
Rodriguez 28 & 50 (C)
Colombia: Ospina; C Zuniga, C Zapata, Yepes, Armero; Aguilar, C Sanchez; Cuadrado (Guarin 81), James Rodriguez (Ramos 85), Jackson Martinez; Gutierrez (Mejia 68)
Uruguay: Muslera; Caceres, Godin, Gimenez, A Pereira (Ramirez 53); Gonzalez (Hernandez 67), Arevalo Rios, Rodriguez, Maxi Pereira; Cavani, Forlan (Stuani 53)
