Uzbekistan vs. Colombia Live World Cup 2026 Updates, Scores and Highlights

It wasn't always pretty, but Colombia earned their first three points of this summer's World Cup with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in Mexico City on Wednesday night.

While a lovely goal from Daniel Munoz put Colombia up 1-0 five minutes before halftime, the first half was something of a slog for Nestor Lorenzo's outfit. Clear chances were few and far between, in large part due to Uzbekistan's compact 5-4-1 block that featured a number of sturdy defensive performances.

Down by a goal to start the second 45 minutes, Uzbekistan was willing to hold more of the ball. There was a payoff to their slightly more attacking approach: winger Abbosbek Fayzullayev scored the nation's very first World Cup goal, making history for Uzbekistan. The goal was somewhat fortunate, to be sure, given Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas couldn't deal with the initial effort. Still, Uzbekistan had life.

That is, until they didn't. 

Joy from the debutant's equalizer was short lived. Superstar left winger Luis Diaz put Colombia back in front just five minutes later, scoring a goal to go along with his pinpoint assist to Munoz in the first half. Like on Uzbekistan's goal, there was poor goalkeeping on Colombia's go-ahead strike — Utkir Yusupov could have done better on Diaz's effort. That said, Diaz lived up to the billing as the brightest player on the field. It ended 3-1 in favor of Colombia after a late game-sealing strike from Jaminton Campaz.

After Portugal's shocking draw with DR Congo earlier today, Colombia now sit atop Group K as the only team with three points. Then sit DR Congo and Portugal — both on one — with Uzbekistan in the rear as they still search for their first result at a World Cup.

Jaminton Campaz makes it 3-1 in favor of Colombia!

Colombia retake the lead! It's 2-1, now.

Abbosbek Fayzullayev, you've made history! It's 1-1 in Mexico City!

Let's see what's in store down in Mexico City.

Playing in front of a packed crowd at the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Colombia are battling Uzbekistan, the final World Cup debutant to play at this summer's tournament.

It was Colombia in control of the ball in the first 45 minutes, perhaps unsurprisingly. Fabio Cannavaro's Uzbekistan used a resolute 5-4-1 block with plenty of numbers behind the ball and only the occasional spell of high pressure against Colombia. For most of the opening period, Uzbekistan's defense held up. Initially, they kept a tight lid on Colombia's brightest star, Luis Diaz. Young right wingback Behruzjon Karimov was doing well limiting the Bayern Munich man's dribbling ability.

However, once Diaz started drifting inside, things changed — for the better for Colombia. It was Diaz's sumptuous assist for Daniel Muñoz's goal that pushed the pre-game favorites to a 1-0 lead in the 41st minute.

Can Uzbekistan, still without a shot from inside the box, get back into this one? Or will Colombia keep pushing? We'll find out in the second half.

What a goal that is! Daniel Muñoz makes no mistake about the finish after a filthy ball from Luis Diaz. It's 1-0 in favor of Colombia!

Colombia come this close to taking the lead.

We're in a 0-0 deadlock at the first half intermission. Will Colombia start to find some gaps in Uzbekistan before the first half is out?

It's time to get this party started!

What magic does James have in his boots tonight?

Raise your hand if you saw that coming.

Didn't think so.

Caleb Yirenkyi scored in second-half stoppage time in what was exponentially the best chance for either side, and Ghana picked up an absolutely precious three points to pull level with England atop Group L.

Jordan Ayew keyed the transition attack, spraying the ball wide to substitute to Brandon Thomas-Asante, who showed impressive strength to weather the challenge from José Córdoba and continue down the left.

Thomas-Asante then composed himself and sent in the perfect low cross. When Yirenkyi reached it, it was a harder chance to miss than to make.

The Black Stars did not register their first shot on target until early in the second half, and even though they found more promising positions in the second 45 minutes, they rarely looked like producing a winning moment.

Before Yirenkyi's winner, the play of the game might have been Panama defender Joivany Ramos' sliding challenge to deny Ayew in the 65th minute.

But in the end, yet another Carlos Queiroz-managed World Cup squad earned a gritty result to make their chance of advancing more plausible. A point in either of their final two games against England and Croatia probably does the job. Even two narrow defeats might be enough with the right results elsewhere.

Absolute SCENES for the Black Stars 🤯🤯🤯

It's a slick one out there ...

It's only a 90-hour drive from Panama City to Toronto ... 🎶

That was … a half of football.

Aside from Cecilio Waterman's early chance, not a lot in this one so far, even if the Panamanians have brought the atmosphere to Toronto.

On one hand, given that England and Croatia loom for both these sides, you can understand the hesitation and fear of making a mistake.

On the other, a draw doesn't really do either of these teams any favors, even in the more forgiving 48-team World Cup that lets eight third-place finishers advance.

Use your hands to catch, not your body 🤦

Not much going on in the opening half hour after that early save. Maybe these teams are still reeling from the thought of having to face that England attack next.

HUGE early chance for Ghana to open the match at a LOUD Toronto Stadium.

Big one in Toronto to wrap up first day of Group L

England produced a stirring second-half performance to beat Croatia and get off to a winning start at the World Cup.

The two teams went into half-time level at 2-2, with some poor England defending undoing some promising attacking play. 

After England took the lead through a Harry Kane penalty—which was initially saved by Dominik Livaković before being retaken because of encroachment—Croatia drew level through Martin Baturina. Petar Sučić found too much space in the England penalty area and cut a perfectly weighted pass back to Baturina to rifle home from the edge of the area.

Kane appeared to have settled his team's nerves once again three minutes before half-time, heading home from Declan Rice's corner, but Petar Musa leveled the game again in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The FC Dallas forward calmly volleyed the ball past Jordan Pickford after latching onto Ivan Perišić's knockdown to put the game back in the balance at half-time.

England came out of the traps quickly following the break with a notable increase in intensity, though. Just two minutes into the half, Jude Bellingham ran onto Elliot Anderson's pass on the right-hand side, bulldozed his way into the penalty area and slid the ball past Livaković. 

Croatia had little answer for England, who had further chances through Bellingham, Kane, Nico O'Reilly and Djed Spence before finally sealing victory with five minutes of normal time remaining. 

Substitutes Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford combined against a tiring opposing backline, with Rashford latching on to the Arsenal man's pass, cutting inside and slotting the ball past Livaković to seal an opening-game victory for the Three Lions.

4-2 to the Three Lions

Great saves from Livaković

Bellingham does it alone to retake lead

Croatia twice came back from a goal down to send Group L's opening game into half-time level.

England took the lead through captain Harry Kane from the penalty spot in the 12th minute after Noni Madueke was fouled by Luka Modrić. 

Kane's first attempt was saved by Dominik Livaković, but encroachment off his line by the Croatian goalkeeper and into the penalty area by defender Joško Gvardiol saw a retake awarded. England's record goalscorer made no mistake with his second try, blasting the ball into the right-hand corner and sending Livaković the wrong way.

Madueke continued to cause problems for Croatia throughout the half, but England were punished after failing to truly take hold of the game nine minutes before half-time. Martin Baturina stepped onto Petar Sučić's cutback and lashed an equaliser past Jordan Pickford from the edge of the area. 

Kane put his team back ahead six minutes later, rising highest to meet Declan Rice's corner with a thumping header. However, a deft ball over the top of England's defence by Mario Pašalić in the fifth minute of stoppage time was headed down by Ivan Perišić and then turned home by Petar Musa to level the scores again.

FC Dallas' Musa with smooth finish to bring Croatia back level again.

Harry gets up and is for some reason unmarked to head home for 2-1 advantage.

Baturina with excellent strike to beat Pickford

Should this one have been called?

England 1-0, we move.

After penalty retake due to Livakovic leaving his line, Harry doesn't miss again.

Big early chances for Three Lions...

Here. We. GO.

Handful of DR Congo fans didn't care how outnumbered they were by Portugal.

In their first World Cup match since 1974, DR Congo proved they have a very real chance of reaching the knockout phase and maybe pulling off an upset or two once they get there after this performance against a tournament favorite.

Yoane Wissa will forever be a national hero after scoring the first-ever World Cup goal to help the Congolese secure their first-ever World Cup point. But this was a much different encounter than Cape Verde's near-miraculous scoreless draw against Spain in Atlanta two days earlier.

Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal dominated possession and looked the more likely to score a winner in the final stages. But this was a composed, thoughtful and threatening effort from the Africans that suggested far more experience on the big stage than one previous tournament appearance playing as Zaire two generations ago.

If anyone looked rattled, it was Portugal late, particularly Tomas Araujo, who was fortunate to receive only a caution for his cynical and violent late challenge to deny Wissa a potential opportunity at a winner.

Yet Portugal manager Roberto Martínez probably learned some useful things about his squad if they are to join the lengthy list of sides who eventually make deep tournament runs despite underwhelming opening matches.

In particular, his decision to insert Francisco Conceição for Bernardo Silva achieved its aim of creating more of a threat on the flanks, and eventually resulted in half-chances that Ronaldo fired wide of the near post in the 68th and 74th minutes.

Congo remained dangerous on the counter, and Cedric Bakambu may go the rest of his life wondering what might have been had he possessed more composure when sending his 77th-minute one-timer a few feet wayward of the top corner.

Hasn't had many opportunities in this game.

Off the post from in tight...but foul called. Pressure is rising!

Looking good, fellas.

Yoane Wissa's towering header in first-half stoppage time gave DR Congo the first goal in their World Cup history and was no less than the Africans deserved after they gave as good as they got against one of the World Cup favorites.

João Neves's seventh-minute header of Pedro Neto's cross gave Portugal an early lead, but what looked to be an ideal start for the Seleção das Quinas may have actually been the opposite. 

Far from collapsing under the weight of the moment, DR Congo responded with some credible attacking of their own. Wissa fired wide on one of those in the 11th minute, and the Newcastle United man was in obvious agony three minutes later when Cedric Bakambu had his shot blocked rather than slipping an open Wissa into the penalty area.

But on a second consecutive corner in the added minutes, Congo took it short before Arthur Masuaku eventually sent in an inswinging cross from the corner of the area. Wissa rose unmarked at the back post and finished decisively past Diogo Costa from close range.

Unreal scenes in Houston as African nation scores first-ever goal at World Cup right before halftime whistle.

Not much else doing in Houston with Ronaldo barely in the game.

Neves rises up to open scoring vs. DR Congo

Last teams yet to play at the World Cup begin Thursday's action.

There is he, Mr. Ronaldo.

Here comes CR7 at 6th World Cup.

Ain't no thang!

Time to step up to the plate, CR7.