A wonderful touch and finish from Catalina Usme helped Colombia beat Jamaica to advance for the World Cup QF for the first time. 

Usme scored just after half time as Jamaica conceded for the first time in the tournament but despite some late pressure, could not get on the board as Colombia ran the clock as they know how to do best. 

Colombia now advance to a tough tie against England on Saturday morning in Sydney for a place in the final four. 

There was little of note to report in the opening half hour of the game, as two evenly matched teams went at it physically, with players receiving treatment on both sides on multiple occasions with the ferocity of the tackles.

Colombia did like the more likely side to take an early advantage but could not muster up more than a couple half chances, as this Jamaica side showed why they’ve made it this far without conceding a goal in the tournament. 

As the half wore on it continued to be the South Americans putting the pressure on their Concacaf opponents. A succession of corners lead to a couple efforts that went over. As for Jamaica going forward, they may have gone the entire first half without a touch in the opposition box. 

Shortly after the break, Colombia took a deserved lead. Just six minutes into the half, Guzman picked up the ball on the left wing and played quite an ambitious crossfield ball, that proved to be inch perfect to star striker Usme, who produced a first touch Berbatov would be proud of to cushion the ball out of the air and take her marker completely out of the game, before placing the ball into the far corner.

For the first time in the tournament, Jamaica were behind, and seemingly their lack of experience in this position might have been detrimental to their world cup chances. Colombia displayed their mastery of the dark arts in the group stage of the tournament and we saw a lot more as the clock ran down as they used their experience to assure their progression. 

Drew Spence had the biggest chance for Jamaica but her downward header went just wide of the Colombian net to the relief of Catalina Perez, that felt like their major chance. Browne also had an effort come back off the woodwork moments after Jamaica went behind, but it was a tough chance to take in a crowd of bodies. 

Santos did come close to doubling the Colombian lead with a few minutes to go but she rattled the woodwork, leaving the tie still in the balance. 

As the clock ticked down, the Colombian fans in Melbourne began to rise in volume knowing they had a quarter final tie against England in Sydney to look forward to.