WORLD CUP 2014: Colombia 2 - 0 Uruguay

It was going to take something very special to stop this match being all about Suarez - and 22-year-old Rodriguez provided it with the first of his two goals to set up a 2-0 win for a Colombian side who have made light of the injury-related absence of their own missing striker Radamel Falcao.
Rodriguez, a team-mate of Falcao's at Monaco, scored the goal of the tournament so far and has emerged as one of the outstanding players of the World Cup, with five goals now to his name.

His moment of brilliance came in the 28th minute when Abel Aguilar looped a high header to the edge of the penalty box, and Rodriguez - after a quick glance towards goal - controlled it on his chest and hit a magnificent volley on the turn that skimmed over the goalkeeper's fingertips and crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

It was a goal that had everything: control, vision, power and sumptuous technique - and a goal worthy of sending Colombia into a quarter-final where they will be doughty opponents for Brazil.
If the one shame is that there will be no rematch of the Brazil v Uruguay 1950 final, that is more than compensated for by the fact that Rodriguez will be playing.

Until his wondergoal, this had been a typical South American encounter: plenty of skill, crunching tackles, but little to shout about. It really did seem as though this was a game that needed Suarez's undoubted talents to light it up.

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