Colombia reached the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time in their history tonight as they beat Uruguay 2-0 at the Maracana.

James Rodriguez was once again the hero for his side as he scored both goals, including a spectacular volley to open the scoring in the first half.

Here, Sports Mole looks at who impressed as Colombia set up a showdown with hosts Brazil in the last eight.

COLOMBIA

Goal

David Ospina: Very solid performance. Didn't have a great deal to do until the final 10 minutes or so, making a couple of routine stops before his best save of the match in denying Maxi Pereira. Was confident coming for crosses all night and took the pressure off his defence while doing so. (8/10)

Defence

Camilo Zuniga: Looked bright on the right flank all game and was among Colombia's most dangerous players in the opening exchanges. His attacking influence waned a little as the match wore on, but still a good display. (7/10)

Cristian Zapata: Gave the Uruguay attack very little joy, with Cavani and Forlan struggling to make an impact on the match. Solid throughout and never looked too troubled. (7/10)

Mario Yepes: Another display that belied his advancing years. Cavani and Forlan got no joy from him either as he remained strong for the entire match. (7/10)

Pablo Armero: Unlike Zuniga, his influence on the match increased as it went on, and he was still making positive bursts forward late in the game. Supplied the cross that saw Cuadrado nod the ball down for Rodriguez's second. (7/10)

Midfield

Juan Cuadrado: Always looked like causing problems with his quick feet and sheer pace. Seemed to beat the first man every time he got the ball and proved he had an end product with a clever assist for the second goal when many would have tried to score themselves. (8/10)

Abel Aguilar: Went about his work quietly in midfield, preventing the Uruguayans from building any really meaningful attacks. Supplied the assist for the first goal, although that was all about the finish. (7/10)

Carlos Sanchez: Also solid in the middle, making a few key interceptions and helping out his defence at times when Uruguay moved into promising positions. (7/10)

James Rodriguez: The match-winner and star of the show. Became the leading World Cup scorer with five having scored both goals, the first of which is a contender for goal of the tournament. A really gifted and talented player that could help Colombia go far in Brazil. (9/10)

Attack

Teofilo Gutierrez: Didn't get too much joy in terms of goalmouth action himself, but played his part in some nice Colombian moves, including a pivotal role in the build-up for the second goal. (7/10)

Jackson Martinez: Worked hard all night to close down from the front, but didn't have the impact on the ball that he would have wanted. Still, he did an important job for his side. (6/10)

Substitutes

Alexander Mejia: Came on with just over 20 minutes remaining and struggled to make a huge impact, simply helping his side defend their lead. (6/10)

Fredy Guarin: Replaced Cuadrado with nine minutes left. Sent one nice pass over the top but otherwise didn't have much time to affect the game. (6/10)

Adrian Ramos: Came on for Rodriguez in the 85th minute and didn't have a chance to make an impact. (6/10)

URUGUAY

Goal

Fernando Muslera: Had a relatively quiet night other than the two goals, neither of which he had any chance of saving. (6/10)

Defence

Maxi Pereira: Failed to show the attacking talents that have impressed at club level until it was too late. Had Uruguay's best chance but was denied by a good save. (6/10)

Martin Caceres: Made one or two decent tackles and interceptions and kept Colombia at a relatively safe distance for large spells of the match, but that wasn't enough. (6/10)

Jose Gimenez: Struggled at times against the pace and trickery of the Colombian attack. Was never run ragged but was beaten one-on-one a couple of times. (5/10)

Diego Godin: Did his best to keep Colombia out but was part of a defence undone by a piece of solo magic and a fine team goal. (6/10)

Alvaro Pereira: Struggled to make an impact on the left side and was taken off in the 53rd minute as Oscar Tabarez reverted to four at the back. (5/10)

Midfield

Alvaro Gonzalez: Came closer than any Uruguayan to scoring in the first half with a fine volley that drew a save from Ospina. Didn't have much of an impact other than that, though. (6/10)

Egidio Arevalo: Tried to act as the destroyer in midfield, but got a number of his tackles wrong. Did well at times to break up fluid Colombian attacks, but his methods weren't always strictly legal. (5/10)

Cristian Rodriguez: Was pinned back by Zuniga and Cuadrado for much of the match, but failed to make the most of the times he could attack. (6/10)

Attack

Edinson Cavani: Uruguay's biggest threat, although that isn't saying much. He couldn't fill the void left by Suarez and, although he had one or two efforts on goal, he never really looked like scoring. (7/10)

Diego Forlan: Anonymous for large spells of the game as he struggled to get any joy against the Colombian defence. Taken off in the 53rd minute. (5/10)

Substitutes

Christian Stuani: Replaced Forlan but also struggled to make an impact on proceedings during his 40-minute cameo. (6/10)

Gaston Ramirez: The second of the early double-change from Tabarez. Also found it hard to get past the Colombian defence and failed to conjure anything up for his side. (6/10)

Abel Hernandez: Barely touched the ball during his 23 minutes on the field. (6/10)

Written by
Barney Corkhill