Colombia launched their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K campaign in impressive fashion, coming from behind to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1 in an entertaining encounter.
The South Americans showed their quality and resilience after Uzbekistan briefly threatened an upset early in the second half, with Luis Díaz leading the charge as Colombia secured all three points.
Colombia thought they had taken an early lead when Johan Mojica found the net after just seven minutes, but the effort was ruled out. Uzbekistan then suffered a setback of their own when defender Abdukodir Khusanov picked up a booking in the 34th minute.
The breakthrough eventually arrived five minutes before the interval. Daniel Muñoz rose to meet a precise delivery from Díaz and powered home to give Colombia a deserved 1-0 advantage heading into the break.
Uzbekistan responded positively after the restart and levelled the contest on the hour mark. Abbosbek Fayzullaev produced a composed finish to spark celebrations among the Central Asian side and briefly shift the momentum.
However, Colombia restored their lead just five minutes later. Díaz, who had already provided the assist for the opening goal, capped another influential display by finding the net himself after being set up by Gustavo Puerta.
The Colombians controlled proceedings thereafter and finally put the result beyond doubt deep into stoppage time. Substitute Jhon Campaz finished off a swift move in the 99th minute after good work from Juan Camilo Hernández to seal a 3-1 victory.
The result places Colombia in a strong position in Group K and provides the perfect start ahead of tougher tests to come, while Uzbekistan will need to bounce back quickly in their remaining group matches if they are to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
Top Performer
Luis Díaz (Colombia) – The Liverpool winger was at the heart of Colombia’s attacking play, providing an assist for Daniel Muñoz’s opener before scoring the crucial second goal that restored his side’s advantage.
Key Moment
Luis Díaz’s goal in the 65th minute proved decisive. Coming just five minutes after Uzbekistan had equalised, the strike immediately swung momentum back in Colombia’s favour and paved the way for a winning start to their World Cup campaign.
