FINAL - Colombia 2, Uruguay 0: James Rodriguez leads Colombia into World Cup quarterfinals

The goals keep piling up for the Colombians after adding another two to their World Cup-leading tally to register a 2-0 win over Uruguay and advance to the quarterfinals.

The Colombians lead all teams with 11 goals through four matches, and will play hosts Brazil in the next phase of the tournament.

James Rodriguez was the hero once again. His first goal 30 minutes into the match was a strike that few players would dare trying on such a stage. His second lacked the allure of the first, but virtually sealed the win for Colombia.

The match opened with Uruguay applying physical pressure against their opponents as two smart runs from the Colombians ended with cynical challenges that produced free kicks.

Uruguay struggled to create opportunities as they utilized Edinson Cavani as the lone striker while Diego Forlan, replacing the banned Luis Suarez, played in a deeper role. Forlan failed to make an impact on the match and was substituted in the early stages of the second half.

It was time for Rodriguez to shine, just as he's done three times before Saturday's game, when a headed pass found the 22-year-old outside the Uruguay box. After cradling the ball with his chest, and with five Uruguayan defenders closing down on him, Rodriguez pulled off the unthinkable when he let the ball fall to his left foot for the volley shot past a helpless Fernando Muslera.

It was a strike that left many around the world in awe of this young phenom and his courage to take such an audacious shot from that distance to open the scoring. Rodriguez also became the first player to score in his first four matches of a World Cup since Cristiano Ronaldo and Rivaldo.

Uruguay increased the pressure following the wonder strike and came close to leveling the match, but Cavani's inability to connect with a powerful cross saw keeper David Ospina punch the ball away. It was as close as they'd get to a goal in the first half.

The quality of football in the first half and in the opening minutes of the second was incomparable between the two sides. Colombia showed a clear desire to get on the score sheet while Uruguay's scheme was designed to invite attacking pressure.

Based on the Uruguay's lack of enthusiasm and poor play, the match was essentially over five minutes into the second half when Rodriguez added to his World Cup goal scoring lead after netting his fifth goal of the tournament with an easy finish from five yards out.

Defender Pablo Armero crossed the ball into the box towards Juan Cuadrado at the far post. Unable to get a clear shot on goal from a tight angle, Cuadrado went with the next best option and guided the ball to a poorly marked Rodriguez for a tidy finish.

The game took a different tone following the goal when Colombia opted to increase their defensive capabilities with tactical substitutes, while the Uruguayans took the opposite route and introduced multiple attacking options.

The added pressure almost paid off when Cristian Rodríguez thumped an ambitious shot from outside the box that produced a solid save from the Colombian keeper. David Ospina was put to work again when Maxi Pereira found himself one-on-one with the keeper but had his shot deflected wide when Ospina did well to close him down.

While Uruguay go crashing out of the World Cup, failing to add to their promising 2010 efforts when they finished fourth in South Africa, Colombia reach the quarterfinals for the first time in its history.

Many will doubt their chances against the tournament hosts, but they have a chance of shocking the world if they're able to play with the confidence and flare that have helped them reach this point of the World Cup.