FIFA World Cup 2026: Colombia beat DR Congo, reach knockouts
What's the story
Team Colombia has secured its place in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over DR Congo. The match, played on Tuesday night in Zapopan, was a tense affair with Colombia dominating possession but struggling to find the back of the net. Daniel Munoz's deflected strike in the 76th minute proved decisive for Nestor Lorenzo's side, who had previously beaten Uzbekistan.
Match highlights
Munoz's deflected strike sends Colombia through
Colombia dominated the first half with 14 shots but failed to break the deadlock, thanks to DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi's heroics. Munoz, who had missed a golden opportunity in the first half, made amends with his second goal for Colombia in less than a week. The Crystal Palace right-back's low shot was deflected off Steve Kapuadi and wrong-footed Mpasi for what proved to be the winner.
Defensive strategy
Colombia's defense holds firm against late onslaught
Colombia's defense, led by goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, stood firm against a late onslaught from DR Congo. Vargas was forced to make a crucial save in the first minute of stoppage time to keep Nathanael Mbuku's fierce effort at bay. This victory sets up an exciting encounter between Colombia and Portugal in their final Group K fixture on Saturday.
Group standings
Colombia top Group K after win over DR Congo
Colombia currently tops Group K, but will have to avoid defeat against Portugal to secure first place. The team had never drawn a match in their previous 23 World Cup matches, but a goalless draw seemed possible with just 15 minutes left in the game against DR Congo. However, Munoz's strike changed the course of the match and ensured Colombia's progression into the knockout stages.
Stats
Here are the match stats
From 20 attempts, Colombia recorded nine shots on target. DR Congo managed two strikes on target from seven attempts. The winning team had a dominant 66% ball possession in the game. They completed 506 passes with a sensational 88% accuracy. DR Congo's passes count was 281. Their accuracy was 77%.
Landmarks
Here are the key landmarks
As per Opta, Colombia have won their first two matches at a World Cup for the second time, also doing so in 2014 when they recorded their best finish (quarter-final). Congo DR's Lionel Mpasi made five saves in the opening 20 minutes against Colombia, the first goalkeeper to record these many saves in the first 20 minutes of a World Cup match since Warren Barrett for Jamaica vs. Argentina in 1998.