In an impressive start to the 2026 World Cup, Colombia secured a decisive 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at Mexico City's iconic Estadio Azteca during their opening match of Group K, held on Wednesday night.
The match began at a measured pace, with the first yellow card being shown to J. Mojica in the seventh minute. As the game progressed, Colombia steadily asserted their dominance, maintaining 62% possession and applying relentless pressure on the Uzbek defense, which committed 14 fouls throughout the game.
The initial breakthrough came in the 40th minute: Arias delivered a precise pass to Luis Díaz, who set up Daniel Muñoz with a long ball. Muñoz outpaced the defense and finished with a right-footed shot to make it 1-0. This smooth collaborative play highlighted the gap in quality between the two teams.
Uzbekistan, however, showed resilience. At the start of the second half, their coach made two simultaneous substitutions, and the team was rewarded in the 60th minute when Abbosbek Fayzullaev connected with a cross from the left to score an equalizer. This marked Uzbekistan's first-ever goal in World Cup history, a significant achievement for the first Central Asian team to qualify for the tournament.
The Uzbek celebration was short-lived. Just five minutes later, in the 65th minute, Gustavo Puerta found Díaz on the left wing, and the Liverpool star finished with a precise shot to the left post past goalkeeper Yusupov, putting Colombia back in the lead at 2-1. Díaz's performance, featuring both a goal and an assist in his World Cup debut, established him as the standout player of the match.
The third goal came during injury time when Jáminton Campaz, who substituted for James Rodríguez in the 72nd minute, scored with a header to seal the 3-1 victory and cap off a successful night for the Colombian team at the Azteca.
Statistics clearly illustrated Colombia's control of the match: 14 shots compared to Uzbekistan's six, four corner kicks to three, and three offsides against none for Uzbekistan. Both teams received one yellow card. Uzbekistan's captain, Eldor Shomurodov, the top scorer in his nation's history, came on as a substitute but couldn't alter the scoreline.
With this result, Colombia tops Group K with three points and a +2 goal difference, ahead of Portugal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who each have one point after their draw in the opening round. Uzbekistan remains at the bottom of the table with no points.
The Colombian team will return to action on June 23 against the DR Congo in their second group match, while Uzbekistan will aim for their first World Cup victory when they face Portugal.
Key Moments and Statistics from Colombia's World Cup Debut
Who scored Colombia's goals in their World Cup 2026 debut?
Colombia's goals were scored by Daniel Muñoz, Luis Díaz, and Jáminton Campaz.
What was significant about Uzbekistan's goal against Colombia?
Uzbekistan's goal, scored by Abbosbek Fayzullaev, was their first-ever in World Cup history, marking a milestone for the team as the first from Central Asia to qualify for the tournament.
How did Colombia perform statistically against Uzbekistan?
Colombia dominated with 14 shots compared to Uzbekistan's six, had four corner kicks to Uzbekistan's three, and committed three offsides with no offsides for Uzbekistan.