The Bayern Munich winger scored one and assisted another as Colombia overpowered Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca, with Abbosbek Fayzullaev’s strike marking the debutants’ first-ever tournament goal.
Colombia opened their World Cup campaign with a commanding 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, as Luis Díaz delivered a dazzling performance and Uzbekistan celebrated a historic first-ever World Cup goal.
Colombia established heavy possession early on, holding 67 percent of the ball and utilising an attacking midfield shape where Jhon Arias tucked inward to combine with Díaz. While Uzbekistan’s disciplined 3-4-3 formation kept Colombia at bay initially, the South Americans broke through right before halftime when Díaz picked out Daniel Muñoz for a sliding finish.
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Uzbekistan fought back valiantly in the second half. In the 60th minute, Abbosbek Fayzullaev scored his nation’s first-ever World Cup goal, sending the Uzbek supporters in the 80,824-strong crowd into celebration.
Colombia’s quality quickly overwhelmed the debutants. Díaz put Colombia back in front just five minutes later, finishing a team move to restore the lead. Substitute Jaminton Campaz put the game out of reach deep into injury time, scoring at 98:09, the latest non-extra time goal ever recorded by Colombia in World Cup history.
Colombia finished with 15 shots, three on target, while Uzbekistan managed seven shots, three on target. The South Americans dominated possession with 67 percent and completed 87 percent of their passes compared to Uzbekistan’s 80 percent.
Díaz became only the second Colombian player ever to score, assist, and hit the woodwork in a single World Cup match, trailing James Rodríguez’s 2014 performance. The Liverpool winger was named Man of the Match for his all-round contribution.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, the result places Colombia level on three points with Portugal, who drew 1-1 with DR Congo on Wednesday, at the top of Group K. Uzbekistan remain in fourth place despite Fayzullaev’s historic goal.
Colombia will face DR Congo next, while Uzbekistan will take on Portugal in their second group match.
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Predictable Lineups – Bef0re Kick0ff
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- Uzbekistan (3-5-2): Yusupov; Alikulov, Khusanov, Ashurmatov; Aliqulov, Hamrobekov, Shukurov, Masharipov, Sayfiev; Shomurodov, Urunov.
- Colombia (4-3-3): Vargas; Muñoz, Lucumí, Cuesta, Mojica; Lerma, Ríos, J. Arias; James Rodríguez, J. Córdoba, Luis Díaz.
⏳ Head-to-Head History
Last Updated on June 18, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
