Colombia Qualifies
Daniel Muñoz's 76th-Minute Strike Seals Colombia's 1-0 Win, Reaches World Cup Round of 32
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Key Points
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By halftime, Colombia had 15 shots, six of them on target, underscoring their dominant attacking display in the opening 45 minutes.
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James Rodríguez forced Lionel Mpasi into an 11th-minute save, one of several early efforts that tested the Congo goalkeeper.
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Mpasi was in outstanding form, making five saves in the first 20 minutes to keep Congo in the match.
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Luis Díaz had two late goals ruled out—one for a push on a defender and another for offside—as Colombia finally found a winner in the late stages.
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SCMP noted Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi’s resistance, saying he repelled a host of Colombia attempts and arguably did not deserve to finish on the losing side.
Daniel Muñoz's deflected strike in the 76th minute gave Colombia a 1-0 win over DR Congo on June 23, sending them into the World Cup Round of 32 with six points from two Group K games Sporting Tribune. The match was played at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara before an attendance of 45,358 365Scores.
Colombia dominated from the start, firing 20 shots to Congo's eight and holding 64% possession Sofascore. But it took until the final quarter of the game to break through, with Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi making up to nine saves to keep his side in it Sofascore.
Mpasi's Heroics Nearly Held Colombia to a Draw
From the first whistle, Colombia poured forward. James Rodríguez tested Mpasi with a powerful strike in the 11th minute Free Malaysia Today. By the 20-minute mark, Mpasi had already made five difficult saves to keep the score level AP. Colombia had racked up 15 shots by halftime, six of them on target.
Mpasi's best moment came in the 50th minute. He blocked a point-blank Luis Díaz effort with his left knee OneFootball. South China Morning Post noted that Mpasi repelled a host of Colombia attempts and "arguably did not deserve to finish on the losing side." Colombia's shots-on-target count reached nine by the final whistle against just one for Congo 365Scores.
Muñoz Breaks the Deadlock With a Deflected Strike
The breakthrough came in the 76th minute. Muñoz hit a low left-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area. The ball deflected off defender Steve Kapuadi and beat Mpasi at the near post Al Jazeera. It was Muñoz's second goal of the tournament, putting him in contention for the Golden Boot race The Guardian.
Colombia nearly added to their lead twice in the final minutes. Luis Díaz scored a "fantastic finish" in the 79th minute, but it was ruled out for a push on defender Chancel Mbemba FOX Sports. One minute later, Díaz struck again, only for the flag to go up for offside VAVEL. The final whistle confirmed a 1-0 win.
Colombia Top Group K, Portugal Clash Looms on June 27
The win moved Colombia to six points at the top of Group K. Portugal sit second on four points after a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan earlier that day Flashscore. DR Congo stay in the tournament with one point. Uzbekistan have none.
Colombia face Portugal on June 27 for the top spot. A draw would be enough for Colombia to win the group and earn a Round of 32 tie in Kansas City The Guardian. DR Congo still have a path through. They must beat Uzbekistan and hope other group results go their way FIFA.
DR Congo's Historic Campaign Shadowed by Ebola Crisis at Home
This was the first-ever meeting between Colombia and DR Congo Flashscore. For Congo, the match carried extra weight. The team is competing in its first World Cup in 52 years, last appearing as "Zaire" in 1974 AP. Their preparation was disrupted by an Ebola outbreak in the Ituri province, which has caused over 1,000 cases and nearly 200 deaths UN News.
Coach Sébastien Desabre praised his team's "courage" despite the setbacks Big News Network. Back in Bunia — the center of the Ebola outbreak — hundreds of fans defied gathering restrictions to watch the match, seeing the team's run as a symbol of "resilience and hope" Africanews.
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