Colombia faced Bolivia at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Matchday 17 of the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Aiming to secure a ticket to the international tournament, star James Rodriguez scored the opening goal while also shattering a national team record.
Entering the match in 6th place with 22 points, Colombia needed a win against La Verde to stay on track for qualification to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. With the home fans behind them, captain James Rodriguez delivered the breakthrough with a precise finish.
With Bolivia sitting deep in their own half, Luis Diaz played wide to Santiago Arias, who delivered a powerful cross into the box. The ball found James Rodriguez, who calmly converted with his right foot in the 31st minute to give Colombia the lead.
The goal came at a crucial moment, helping Colombia solidify its push for World Cup qualification after missing out on Qatar 2022. In the process, James Rodriguez also became Colombia’s top scorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with 14 goals, surpassing striker Radamel Falcao to set a new historic record.
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