The Copa America tournament moves into the Quarter Final stage with the group matches finishing with a drawn game between Colombia and Brazil, who have both qualified and will play Panama and Uruguay respectively.

In the other last eight ties, holders Argentina will now come up against Ecuador, who surprisingly pipped Mexico to the runners-up spot, with the Jamaican’s propping up Group B after three disappointing defeats.

The remaining game will be contested between the impressive Venezuelans and Canada, who made it through at the expense of both Chile and Peru.

Competitive finale

Things get serious now, with the straight knock-out matches set to start.

Nevertheless, anybody watching the Colombia vs Brazil fixture could have been forgiven for believing they had already started, such was the competitiveness of what should have been a relatively tame final group game.

Brazilian star-man to miss quarters

With fanatical support, the Colombians were determined to continue their unbeaten run stretching back to February 2022 and quickly cancelled out a Brazilian opener, to secure a 1-1 draw.

With some strong challenges flying about there were several yellow cards handed out, and probably the most significant one being that shown to Vinicius Junior, with it being his second of the tournament, and ruling him out of Brazil’s next match.

US miss out

The point ensured Colombia won the group and lined themselves up for a clash with a Panama side who finished above the US, to the surprise of many. Brazil meanwhile will have to get past 15-time winners Uruguay, who completed their group with a 100% win record.

Likewise Argentina, who also won all three Group games and had the luxury of resting star-man Lionel Messi for their final fixture against Peru, and will be firm favourites to see off Ecuador in the Quarters.

Canada squeeze past Chile

Canada followed them out of the group courtesy of a goalless draw with Chile, who many would have expected to claim the second place, but went out with a whimper, failing to register a single goal in any of their three games.

The Canadian’s reward is a match with an excellent Venezuelan outfit, who dominated Group B and became the third team to take maximum points in qualifying.

Historic moment for Jamaicans

A victory over Jamaica rounded off a very impressive showing and means they go forward full of confidence for further progress.

Three second half goals accounted for the “Reggae Boyz” who at least had the satisfaction of scoring their first ever Copa America goal in their earlier narrow defeat to Ecuador, when West Ham United forward Michail Antonio fired home early in the second-half, to scenes of great delight.

Youngest ever scorer

That goal, in the middle group game, sparked a spell of pressure as the Jamaicans battled for an equalizer, after they had fallen two goals behind following a Kasey Palmer deflection and a controversial penalty scored by Kendry Paez, who at 17-years-old became Ecuador’s youngest ever goalscorer.

Jamaican coach resigns

It looked like Jamaica would have the opportunity to level when there seemed to be a good case for a handball in the penalty area, but the referee chose not to award it, despite going to the monitor after a VAR intervention.

An injury time counter-attack brought a third Ecuador goal and in the process, sealed Jamaica’s exit.

Within hours of the defeat the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) announced that coach Heimir Hallgrímsson had resigned his position.  

Next up the holders

The Ecuadorians will now be involved in the first of the quarter-finals when they take on holders Argentina on Friday 5 June.