Colombia defeats Uzbekistan 1-0 in World Cup 2026 debut

Colombia secured a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Muñoz scoring the decisive goal following an assist from Luis Díaz. The match, played at the Azteca Stadium, saw Colombia struggle in the early stages as Uzbekistan pressed aggressively from the start, but the Colombian side gradually adapted to the pace of play and broke through before halftime. Muñoz's acrobatic finish came after a well-executed cross from Díaz, the former FC Porto player, with the goal arriving naturally as Colombia's pressure mounted. Despite the intensity and physical play, including a harsh collision between Uzbekistan's Khusanov and a camera operator that required medical attention, Colombia held firm to secure three vital points in their seventh World Cup appearance. The victory marks Colombia's return to the tournament after missing the 2022 edition, with hopes of improving on their best performance of reaching the quarter-finals in 2014. Luis Suárez of Sporting failed to make an impact during the match, while James Rodríguez attempted to create chances without success.