Colombia beat Bolivia to win group
Reuters - Sunday 10 July 2011, 22:16
SANTA FE - Striker Radamel Falcao scored
twice as Colombia beat Bolivia 2-0 to win Group A at the Copa
America on Sunday.
Colombia took seven points from their three matches, the
best return of the tournament so far, to qualify for a
quarter-final against the best third-placed team from the three
groups in Cordoba next Saturday.
Bolivia were eliminated while hosts Argentina and Costa Rica
are set to play for second place in Cordoba on Monday.
Falcao is now joint top scorer of a low-scoring tournament
with a tally of two, equal with Peru's Paolo Guerrero, and the
team went through without conceding a goal.
"These results put us in the quarter-finals with authority,"
Colombia's coach Hernan Dario Gomez told the post-match news
conference.
"Our objective is not to go looking for a goalscorer but our
identity as a team," he said after Falcao scored the goals but
Colombia created chances for several different players.
Falcao put the Colombians ahead after a quarter of an hour
when he ran onto winger Dayro Moreno's defence-splitting ball
down the left to steer it past goalkeeper Carlos Arias.
FALCAO PENALTY
Colombia went further head close to the half hour with a
penalty converted by Falcao after defender Santos Amador brought
down left-back Pablo Armero.
It was the second penalty of the tournament and the second
faced by Arias after he saved one from Costa Rica's Joel
Campbell in Bolivia's 2-0 defeat in Jujuy on Thursday.
"With the attitude of going out to win all the matches we
knew things would happen for us. Today we got first place but if
we don't make the most of it in the next match, it stops there.
We want to carry on dreaming," Falcao told reporters.
Midfielder Adrian Ramos almost made it three when his header
from a perfect high cross from Armero went just over the bar.
Colombia's goalkeeper Luis Martinez had trouble turning away
a free-kick from midfielder Ronald Garcia near the end of the
first half and Jhasmany Campos had a half chance for Bolivia
early in the second but his effort went over.
Colombia created several chances to increases their lead
with Falcao shooting wide from the best after being set up by
substitute Hugo Rodallega, who later had a shot on target
deflected by a defender.