World Cup 2026: Luis Diaz Inspires Colombia Past Uzbekistan 3-1

Diaz lights up the Azteca in a 3-1 Colombia win

At the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Colombia kicked off their World Cup 2026 Group K schedule with a 3-1 victory over tournament debutants Uzbekistan. Luis Diaz was the man of the night, assisting the opener and scoring the goal that restored Colombia's two-goal cushion right after Uzbekistan had pulled one back.

The numbers tell the story of control. Colombia held 61% of possession to Uzbekistan's 39%, and out-attacked them 104 to 65. Colombia's expected goals (xG, a measure of chance quality) came in at 1.61 against Uzbekistan's 1.16, and the gap in chance creation was bigger than the scoreline alone suggests: Colombia generated four big chances to Uzbekistan's one, and posted 1.46 expected assists (xA) versus just 0.15. Colombia also completed 444 passes to Uzbekistan's 243. It was a deserved win built on the ball, even if Uzbekistan made it interesting for a stretch in the second half.

How both sides lined up under Anthony Taylor

From Munoz's opener to Campaz in stoppage time

The match settled into a pattern early, with Colombia's Jhon Mojica picking up a yellow card in the 7th minute and Uzbekistan's Abdukodir Khusanov booked in the 34th. The breakthrough came just before the break: in the 40th minute, Daniel Munoz finished off a Luis Diaz assist to put Colombia ahead at the interval.

Uzbekistan came out for the second half with a double change and grew into the game, and in the 60th minute Abbosbek Fayzullaev struck to halve the deficit — a goal that, per the news around the match, was Uzbekistan's first-ever at a World Cup. The response from Colombia was swift. Five minutes later, Diaz turned scorer himself, converting a Gabriel Puerta assist to make it 2-1 and take the sting out of any comeback.

From there Colombia managed the game through a series of substitutions, with referee Anthony Taylor of England keeping things in check. The night had a final flourish deep into stoppage time: in the 90th-minute-plus-nine, Jhon Campaz wrapped it up off an assist from Cristian Hernandez to seal the 3-1 result.

Right team, right idea: the fans nailed it

This one went the way the room expected. The futbol.so community leaned firmly toward Colombia, with the consensus scoreline landing on a 2-0 Colombia win. The direction was spot on — Colombia controlled the game and won comfortably — even if Uzbekistan's late equalizing effort and the eventual three goals nudged the actual margin past the popular pick.

Colombia's own fans shared that consensus, while the lean among Argentina's fans pointed to a narrower 1-0 Colombia result. The official model agreed on the favorite too, making Colombia comfortably the most likely winner, and its projected scoreline of 3-1 matched the final result exactly.

Video highlights

Highlights | Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia | FIFA World Cup 2026™

No geo restriction

LUIS DIAZ sale in cattedrata all'Azteca | Uzbekistan-Colombia 1-3 | FIFA World Cup | DAZN Highlights

Only available in IT

COLOMBIA tuvo debut soñado en MUNDIAL, triunfó vs Uzbekistán. LUIS DÍAZ la FIGURA | La Copa Al Día

No geo restriction

HIGHLIGHTS - Uzbekistan v Colombia | Debutants Face Tough Opposition! | Fifa World Cup 2026

Only available in GB, GG, IM +1

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

World Cup: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

No geo restriction

With the win, Colombia sit top of Group K on seven points after three matches and have booked their place in the Round of 32. For Uzbekistan, the result confirms elimination from the group stage on zero points, though they leave with the milestone of a first World Cup goal to their name. Colombia's attention now turns to the knockout rounds, where Luis Diaz's form will be one to watch.