Colombia vs Panama Prediction and Betting Tips: Best Bets for Copa America Quarter-Final

A place in the Copa America semi-finals is the prize on offer for Colombia and Panama as they head for Arizona on Saturday. Check out our best bets below. 

The Colombians were the form side entering the tournament and have extended their unbeaten sequence to 26 games after topping their group ahead of Brazil.

Panama, for their part, caused something of an upset in securing second spot behind Uruguay in their group - leaving hosts the United States to exit their own party much earlier than they'd have hoped.

The State Farm Stadium in Glendale is the venue for this Copa America quarter-final, with kick-off set for 23:00 UK time on Saturday July 6.

Colombia should ultimately prove too strong for the Panamanians, but the underdogs won't be put away without a fight.

Thomas Christiansen's side scored in each of their group games, averaging two-per-game, and they can find the net with the in-form Jose Fajardo looking to hit the target for the third game running.

Colombia had the heavy lifting done in their opener against Paraguay by half-time as they led 2-0 in Texas, but they conceded midway through the second half and held on through a nervy finish.

Prior to the draw against Brazil, Colombia had won 10 games on the trot, with four of their seven most recent wins coming in games where both teams found the net.

Talisman James Rodriguez has been very much the provider for his Colombian team-mates so far. He set up both Daniel Munoz and Jefferson Lerma in the win over Paraguay and was on hand again to lay on a goal for Jhon Cordoba with an inch-perfect pass in the 3-0 win over Costa Rica.

Luis Diaz has assumed penalty taking duties for Los Cafeteros and so backing Rodriguez at 7/4 to score in this contest isn't overly appealing.

Instead, the 32-year-old should be backed to continue his creator-in-chief role. Now playing his club football with Sao Paulo in Brazil, he's shown in this tournament he remains a real spark in the final third and he should get plenty of opportunities to demonstrate that prowess against Panama.

The leveller against Brazil last time out means Colombia have now scored at least once before the break in six straight matches.

In consecutive friendly wins over Romania, the USA and Bolivia they found the net before six minutes had elapsed, before leading Paraguay 2-0 at the break in their Copa opener and Costa Rica by a goal in their second outing.

They will be eager to dominate this game from the start and an early goal will help them assert their superiority.