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Copa America: lift off for Cuadrado's Colombia

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Copa America: lift off for Cuadrado's Colombia
Copa America: lift off for Cuadrado's Colombia
Copa America: lift off for Cuadrado's Colombia

Just two weeks after supplying Juventus’ Coppa Italia-winning assist at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Juan Cuadrado already has his eyes on a fourth piece of silverware this year as the wing wizard helped his national side Colombia kick off their Copa America campaign in style overnight.

Playing for the full 90 minutes down the South Americans’ right side, Cuadrado and his compatriots eased aside hosts United States by two goals to nil at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara thanks to first-half strikes from Cristian Zapata and James Rodriguez.

The World Cup quarter-finalists needed just eight minutes to assert control over the Copa curtain raiser in California, the Milan defender slamming home unmarked on the volley from a corner after some clever movement in the home penalty area.

The game would be all but over as a contest shortly before the interval as a handball from USA full-back DeAndre Yedlin allowed Real Madrid’s Rodriguez to convert coolly from the spot.

A David Ospina save from Clint Dempsey would be the best the hosts could muster in the second period and in fact were fortunate to not fall further behind after Carlos Bacca’s strike against crossbar late on.

Cuadrado and co. will be looking to pick up where they left off in three days’ time when they face Paraguay in Pasadena.

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