The Dance Continues: Colombia march on towards the knockout stages after edging past DR Congo

Anweshan Ghosh
1 day ago
2 min read

Colombia, a Latin American powerhouse, advanced to the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating a tenacious DR Congo 1-0 in Group K.

La Tricolore now has complete control of the group and will advance to the next round if they avoid defeat against Portugal on the final matchday. Colombia won their first game against debutants Uzbekistan, displaying resilience and the ability to perform under pressure.

Nestor Lorenzo's team was frustrated by Congo for much of the game, attempting 20 shots with 1.03 expected goals (xG), but they were strong defensively, limiting the Africans to 0.39 (xG) from eight shots on goal.

It was never going to be an easy game, as Congo had already demonstrated their abilities by shocking Portugal in their first game. The Latin Americans started the game quickly and came close to scoring when Daniel Munoz hit the outside of the post.

Lionel Mpasi, Congo's goalkeeper, made outstanding saves against Colombia, including denying Luis Díaz's second goal of the tournament. He also turned down James Rodriguez and Gustavo Puerta from a long distance. Colombia took the lead in the 76th minute with a deflected shot from Daniel Muñoz after Fernando Quintero's pass.

Diaz could have had a double, but both of his goals were ruled out for offside and fouls. Ultimately, Munoz, who had opened the scoring for Colombia in their first game, guided his country to the knockout rounds and was in strong contention to finish first in the group.

Munoz became only the fourth Colombian player to score in consecutive World Cup games, and the first since Yerry Mina in 2018. His goal proved decisive, as without it, this game would have ended in a goalless draw as the Congo goalkeeper maintained his excellent World Cup form.

He made eight saves in the game, five of which came in the first twenty minutes, becoming the first player to do so since Warren Barrett of Jamaica against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.

Lorenzo's team played with and without the ball with discipline. His team demonstrated the maturity required for tournaments such as the World Cup. After scoring late in the game, they remained compact and protected the lead as if their lives depended on it, ensuring Congo did not equalise like they did against Portugal, who had also become complacent after scoring the opener.

When the final whistle blew, Colombia's celebrations began, as they had not only qualified for the knockout stages, but also done so with a game remaining. They've demonstrated incredible quality and consistency throughout the tournament thus far.

Their status as the tournament's "dark horses" lives on, and despite the lack of star players like Brazil and Argentina, they've demonstrated their ability to perform above their weight with team balance. Their focus will now shift to the penultimate group game against Portugal, with both teams aiming for first place.

With a potentially easier route in play, this is expected to be a tense match and one of the most important games of the group stages. Congo, on the other hand, will look to secure a victory over Uzbekistan and advance to the knockout round as the best third-place team.