The Colombian men’s national football team beat Uzbekistan 3-1 on Wednesday and became the second South American squad to secure three points at the World Cup 2026 group stage.
Néstor Lorenzo’s team arrived at the tournament as one of the South American Football Confederation’s (CONMEBOL) strongest contenders after finishing as runners-up at the Copa América.
Their opponents, meanwhile, were making history: Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan was playing its first-ever World Cup match.
Colombia started on the front foot, dominating possession and looking to impose its superior individual quality on the tournament debutants. Yet the breakthrough did not arrive until the closing stages of the first half.
Bayern Munich winger Luis Díaz floated a precise ball over the Uzbek defense for Daniel Muñoz, who finished with his first touch to give Colombia a deserved lead.
