BRASÍLIA, Brazil (AFP) – Colombia took a huge step towards the last 16 of the World Cup as goals from James Rodriguez and Juan Fernando Quintero gave them a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast in their World Cup Group C match in Brasilia on Thursday.

Colombia, making their first appearance at the finals since 1998, will qualify for the second round if the match later on Thursday between Japan and Greece ends in a draw.

Ivory Coast, for whom Gervinho scored a superb individual goal, are still firmly in the hunt for a place in the last 16 for the first time in three appearances at the tournament as they opened with a 2-1 win over Japan.

Teams

Colombia

David Ospina – Juan Camilo Zuniga, Cristian Zapata, Mario Yepes (cap), Pablo Armero (Santiago Arias 72) – Juan Cuadrado, Abel Aguilar (Alexander Mejia 79), James Rodriguez, Carlos Sanchez, Victor Ibarbo (Juan Quintero 53) – Teofilo Gutierrez

Ivory Coast

Boubacar Barry – Serge Aurier, Didier Zokora, Souleymane Bamba, Arthur Boka – Max-Alain Gradel (Salomon Kalou 67), Cheick Tiote, Yaya Toure (cap), Die Geoffroy Serey (Mathis Bolly 73), Gervinho – Wilfried Bony (Didier Drogba 60)

Yellow card: Didier Zokora (55), Cheick Tiote (90)

Referee: Howard Webb (ENG)