{"id":641630,"date":"2024-06-19T11:24:51","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T15:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=641630"},"modified":"2024-06-19T11:24:51","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T15:24:51","slug":"2001-copa-america-colombia-first-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2024\/06\/19\/2001-copa-america-colombia-first-title\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2001 Copa Am\u00e9rica: Colombia\u2019s First Title"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2001 Copa Am\u00e9rica saw Colombia create history by winning the trophy for the first time. They also didn’t concede a single goal in the tournament. Though hosts of the competition, winning the Copa Am\u00e9rica was further proof of the Colombians’ rise as a football nation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 2001 Copa Am\u00e9rica: A Chance For The Underdog<\/h2>\n

Brazil Shocked<\/h3>\n

At the tournament in 2001, there was a chance for an underdog to shine after one of the traditionally strongest teams, Argentina, withdrew from the competition due to safety concerns. Then when reigning champions Brazil lost 2-0 to Honduras in the quarter-final, the 2001 Copa Am\u00e9rica was looking like it might have an unlikely winner.<\/p>\n

Colombia, A Growing Force<\/h3>\n

Colombia had qualified for the World Cup in Italy in 1990 and subsequently reached the knockout stage for the first time. That was only the Colombians’ second appearance at a World Cup. Their first had seen them crash out in the group stage in Chile in 1962, though they did get a notable 4-4 draw against then-European champions, the Soviet Union.<\/p>\n

Read More: <\/strong>A History of Colombia’s World Cup Campaigns<\/a><\/p>\n

The flamboyant midfielder Carlos Valderrama<\/a> would be the lynchpin of the Colombian side through most of the 1990s. He was also involved in one of the greatest matches in Colombia’s history when they won 5-0 against Argentina in Buenos Aires in a World Cup qualifying match in September 1993.<\/p>\n

Through To The Semi-Finals Comfortably<\/h3>\n

At the 2001 Copa Am\u00e9rica, Colombia were in Group A. They breezed through their group defeating Venezuela 2-0 in their opening match in Barranquilla. Ecuador were then beaten 1-0 before the hosts wrapped up their group games with a 2-0 win over Chile.<\/p>\n

In the quarter-finals, Peru offered stiff resistance against the Colombians, with the hosts having to wait until after half-time to achieve the breakthrough. Striker V\u00edctor Aristiz\u00e1bal scored twice as Colombia won 3-0.<\/p>\n

Watch:\u00a0<\/strong>Football Fans Are Being Lied To<\/p>\n