Diaz, Munoz, Campaz fire Colombia to 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in World Cup
Mexico City, June 18
Colombia kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a clinical 3-1 victory over debutants Uzbekistan at the Mexico City Stadium on Wednesday.
Despite a spirited second-half equaliser from the Central Asian side, Nestor Lorenzo's men demonstrated their superior tournament pedigree to secure three vital points and take the early leadership in Group K. Daniel Munoz opened the scoring for Colombia before Uzbekistan briefly levelled. Luis Diaz restored Colombia's lead with a composed finish, and Jaminton Campaz sealed the 3-1 win with a late goal in stoppage time.
From the opening whistle, Colombia dominated the tempo, stringing together long sequences of possession against Fabio Cannavaro's men. The initial breakthrough nearly arrived in the 33rd minute when Colombia's Luis Diaz pierced the backline, only to see his sharp-angle shot strike the far post.
The South American pressure finally broke the deadlock in the 40th minute. Midfielder Jefferson Lerma dinked a perfectly weighted vertical pass over the Uzbek centre-backs. Overlapping right-back Daniel Munoz timed his diagonal run to perfection to smash a flying one-touch volley past goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov to make it 1-0 before the half-time.
The equaliser came in the 60th minute when Eldor Shomurodov controlled the play and fired a volley. Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas failed to deal with the shot cleanly, and Abbosbek Fayzullaev reacted quickest to head in the rebound and level the score.
However, Uzbekistan's joy lasted a mere five minutes. In the 65th minute, a loose throw-in near the halfway line allowed Gustavo Puerta to take possession and trigger an immediate counter-attack. Puerta squared the ball to Luis Diaz on the edge of the box, who fired a low drive into the far corner to reclaim the lead.
Colombia put the match beyond doubt in the 99th minute, when second-half substitute Jaminton Campaz found the back of the net to seal the 3-1 scoreline.
With Portugal and DR Congo drawing 1-1 earlier, Colombia sit comfortably at the top of Group K.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Full disclosure: I was rooting for Uzbekistan because they're new to this stage, like we Indians dream of being someday. But Colombia's midfield control was just too good. That Daniel Munoz volley was textbook! Makes me think about how far Asian football still has to go against South American powerhouses.
Respect to Uzbekistan for that fighting equaliser! But honestly, Colombia shows exactly what separates top teams from debutants – composure under pressure. Diaz and Campaz finishing was ice cold. As an Indian football fan, I just hope we can learn from Uzbekistan's journey and make our own debut one day! 🇮🇳
Great match overall! Colombia's experience showed but I do think Uzbekistan's keeper could have done better on that first goal. Still, proud to see Asian teams competing on the world stage. When will India get here? 🥺
Nothing but respect for both teams. Colombia's passing game was a masterclass – reminds me why South American football is so entertaining. And Uzbekistan? They showed heart, especially Shomurodov's assist. As an Indian, I keep dreaming that we'll be the ones making our World Cup debut one day. Keep fighting, Asian brothers! 🔥
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