Colombia’s impressive 5-0 victory over Panama in the quarter-finals of the Copa America has secured Liverpool winger Luis Diaz a place in the semi-finals. Alongside Diaz, two other Liverpool players, Alexis Mac Alister and Darwin Nunez, have also made it to the final four.
Diaz showcased his talent once again by starting his fourth game in the tournament and contributing to Colombia’s dominant attacking display. Despite Panama having more shots on goal, it was Colombia who proved to be clinical, with all five of their shots on target finding the back of the net.
The highlight of the match came when James Rodriguez, the former Real Madrid midfielder, provided a brilliant assist for Diaz’s goal. Rodriguez’s raking ball from his own half found Diaz, who calmly lobbed the goalkeeper to make it 3-0 after just 41 minutes.
This goal marked Diaz’s second of the tournament and proved to be the last one he celebrated on the pitch in the quarter-final. Shortly after his substitution, Colombia scored two more goals to seal their victory.
In addition to his attacking prowess, Diaz also made a significant impact defensively. He won 11 out of his 16 ground duels, making him the player with the most successful duels on the pitch.
Looking ahead, Diaz will face off against his Liverpool teammate Nunez’s Uruguay in the semi-final. Meanwhile, Mac Allister will be on the opposite side of the draw. Regardless of the outcomes of the semi-final ties, there will be a third-place play-off in the Copa America. This means that Diaz, Nunez, and Mac Allister will only return for pre-season training at the earliest on August 5.
With Liverpool’s season set to begin on August 17 against Ipswich, this leaves little time for these key players to fully prepare for their club’s new demands. Liverpool manager Arne Slot will need to carefully manage their return, ensuring they have enough time to recover and integrate back into the team before the start of the season.