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Colombia cruise into last 8

Rio de Janeiro - James Rodriguez scored a brace as Colombia beat Uruguay 2-0 at the Maracana on Saturday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, where they will face Brazil.

As it happened: Colombia vs Uruguay

Monaco star Rodriguez moved top of the World Cup scoring charts on five goals as he showed why many of Europe's biggest clubs are looking to sign him.

His first effort was a contender for goal of the tournament as he took the ball down on his chest with his back to goal before swivelling and hitting a dipping volley in off the bar.

His second was a simple tap in after Juan Cuadrado headed Pablo Armero's deep cross back into the danger zone.

The build up to the game had been dominated by the fall-out from Luis Suarez's worldwide ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini.

Even though he was back home in Uruguay, his team laid out his kit in the changing rooms at the Maracana.

But Uruguay dearly missed his talismanic presence as they were dominated by their South American rivals.

Rodriguez was the star of the show with a sublime opener on 28 minutes that might just pip Australia's Tim Cahill to goal of the tournament.

And he was in the right place at the right time to convert Cuadrado's clever header five minutes into the second period.

Colombia will next play Brazil in Fortaleza on Friday in the last eight.

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