Lius Diaz dazzles as Colombia beat World Cup 2026 debutants Uzbekistan 3-1
Key takeaways
- Winger Luis Diaz scored a goal and set up another, as Colombia made a winning return to the FIFA World Cup after missing the last edition.
- Uzbekistan were disciplined for long periods under their Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro, but Colombia’s greater quality stood out in front of a crowd of over 80,000 on a cool, rain-tinged evening in Mexico City.
- Colombia, the Copa America runners-up, had early sights of goal through Jhon Arias and James Rodriguez, but Uzbekistan sat deep, scrapped gamely and waited for mistakes.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Winger Luis Diaz scored a goal and set up another, as Colombia made a winning return to the FIFA World Cup after missing the last edition.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Colombia's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring their second goal [Eloisa Sanchez/Reuters]By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 18 Jun 202618 Jun 2026Colombia opened their World Cup Group K campaign with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca on Wednesday, as Daniel Munoz, Luis Diaz and Jaminton Campaz struck to overcome a spirited second-half response from the tournament debutants.
Uzbekistan were disciplined for long periods under their Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro, but Colombia’s greater quality stood out in front of a crowd of over 80,000 on a cool, rain-tinged evening in Mexico City.