FIFA 2026: Diaz inspires Colombia to winning start against debutants Uzbekistan

Colombia marked their return to the FIFA World Cup with a 3-1 victory over tournament newcomers Uzbekistan in Mexico City on Wednesday, with Luis Diaz delivering a standout performance to guide the South Americans to the top of Group K.

The Liverpool forward played a decisive role in the result, creating Colombia’s opening goal before scoring himself and helping his side secure all three points in an entertaining contest. The win put Colombia in an early commanding position in the group after Portugal were held to a draw by Congo DR.

Colombia looked dangerous from the outset and nearly broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when Jhon Arias fired an effort into the side netting. Diaz then came close to opening the scoring midway through the first half, curling a left-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov only to see it strike the post.

The pressure eventually paid off five minutes before halftime. Diaz produced a perfectly weighted pass over the Uzbek defence, finding Daniel Munoz, who cleverly diverted the ball into the net with the outside of his boot to give Colombia a deserved lead.

Despite spending much of the first half on the back foot, Uzbekistan showed resilience after the interval and produced a historic moment for the nation. The equaliser arrived on the hour mark when a move involving Eldor Shomurodov and Dostonbek Khamdamov ended with the ball falling kindly for Abbosbek Fayzullaev, who headed home to score Uzbekistan’s first-ever World Cup goal.

The celebrations, however, were short-lived. Colombia quickly regained control and restored their advantage just five minutes later. Diaz drove a low shot towards goal that slipped through the hands of Yusupov and crossed the line, giving the Colombian star his maiden World Cup goal.

With Uzbekistan pushing forward in search of another equaliser, Colombia continued to threaten on the counterattack. The South Americans finally put the match beyond doubt deep into stoppage time when substitute Cucho Hernandez won possession on the right flank and delivered a cross into the box. Fellow substitute Jaminton Campaz met it with a powerful header in the ninth minute of added time to seal a 3-1 victory.

The result capped an impressive opening performance from Colombia, who combined attacking flair with clinical finishing. For Uzbekistan, despite the disappointment of defeat, Fayzullaev’s goal ensured the nation’s first World Cup appearance produced a landmark moment that will be remembered in the country’s football history.