Panama defeated Bolivia 3-1 on Monday, securing second place in Group C and advancing to the Copa América quarterfinals for the first time in their history. This result also eliminated the tournament hosts, the United States, following their 1-0 loss to Uruguay.
José Fajardo opened the scoring for Panama in the 22nd minute with a volley, assisted by Cristian Martinez. Bolivia equalized in the 69th minute through Bruno Miranda, but Panama regained the lead in the 79th minute when Eduardo Guerrero scored with a header from Davis’s cross. César Yanis sealed the victory in added time with a powerful shot into the top right corner.
Panama finished the group stage with six points, three more than the U.S., while Uruguay topped the group with nine points. Panama’s manager, Thomas Christiansen, praised his team’s resilience and their historic achievement.
“We knew that even with a win, we weren’t guaranteed to advance,” Christiansen said. “But our players overcame the odds, and the substitutions made a huge difference.”
Bolivia, needing a win to have a slim chance of progressing, fought hard but fell short, exiting the tournament after three straight losses. Despite their efforts, Panama’s clinical performance and strategic substitutions ensured their place in the knockout stage.
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