Panama advances to quarterfinals at Copa America

Havana, Jul 2 (RHC) Panama showed what it is made of and defeated Bolivia 3-1 to earn a place in the quarterfinals of the Copa America, in a performance described as historic.

With goals by José Fajardo, Eduardo Guerrero and César Yanis, several Panamanian newspapers headlined La Roja's convincing Group C victory over Bolivia.

Regarding the challenge, the Spanish-Danish coach, Thomas Christiansen, emphasized that if prior to the beginning of this competition there was talk of going through with two victories (they previously defeated the United States 2-1), no one would believe it. "We have done something historic, we have to enjoy it," he remarked.

In a press conference following the match played at the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, the coach expressed his respect for his players and praised their hard work in overcoming adverse situations and the pressure of trying to achieve a goal to bring joy to a country.

With his sights set on the next phase, Christiansen said he was a little worried about the recovery of the squad, "because playing three matches of maximum demand is tough," he said.

Regarding Panama's next opponent, which will be decided between Brazil and Colombia, the coach said that the most important thing is to arrive physically fit for that match, based on the quality of the players they have.

With six points, Panama advanced as second in the group led by Uruguay, leaving behind the United States, the host team, which it beat 2-1 on the second matchday. The next game for the locals will be on Saturday, July 6, and their possible rivals are Colombia or Brazil.

(Source: Prensa Latina)