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Colombia booked their place in the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over DR Congo in their Group K encounter at Estadio Guadalajara on Wednesday.
A second-half strike from Daniel Muñoz proved decisive as the South Americans secured a second consecutive victory in the tournament to move to the top of the group and confirm their place in the knockout stage.
Colombia dominated large periods of the contest and created several clear-cut chances before eventually breaking the deadlock in the 76th minute. Juan Fernando Quintero slipped a clever pass into the path of Muñoz, whose left-footed effort took a slight deflection off a DR Congo defender before beating goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi at the near post.
The Crystal Palace defender was at the centre of Colombia’s attacking threat throughout the match. He came close to scoring inside the opening minutes, struck the side netting from close range and later had an effort ruled out for offside as Colombia piled pressure on the Congolese defence.
Luis Díaz, Jhon Arias and James Rodríguez also played key roles in Colombia’s attacking play, but wasteful finishing prevented the South Americans from extending their advantage despite their dominance.
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DR Congo struggled to contain Colombia’s relentless attacks for much of the game but remained competitive through disciplined defending and several important saves from Mpasi. The African side pushed forward in search of an equaliser in the closing stages, but Colombia’s defence stood firm to preserve the narrow lead.
The victory leaves Colombia firmly in control of Group K and guarantees qualification to the knockout phase with one group match still to play. DR Congo, meanwhile, remain third in the standings and must defeat Uzbekistan in their final group fixture to keep alive their hopes of progressing.
Muñoz has now scored in both of Colombia’s World Cup matches and continues to emerge as one of the tournament’s standout performers. His attacking runs from wing-back have added another dimension to a Colombian side already boasting the creativity of James Rodríguez and the pace of Luis Díaz.
Colombia will conclude their group campaign against Portugal, while DR Congo face Uzbekistan in a crucial encounter that could determine their World Cup future.
The result further strengthens Colombia’s position as one of the form teams in the tournament, with the South Americans combining attacking flair, organisation and consistency as they head into the knockout stage with growing confidence.
