KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jhon Arias netted a goal early on from a precise cross delivered by Luis Suárez, as Colombia took charge against Ghana on a hot night at Arrowhead Stadium. This victory, with a scoreline of 1-0, propelled Los Cafeteros into the round of 16 at the World Cup.
Colombia is set to face Switzerland on Tuesday in Vancouver, British Columbia, vying for a place in the quarterfinals.
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This marked Colombia’s second-ever knockout-stage win in World Cup history and their first since 2014, when they advanced to the quarterfinals in Brazil.
The match saw an early setback for Colombia as forward Jhon Córdoba appeared to injure his groin shortly after kickoff, prompting coach Néstor Lorenzo to replace him with Suárez from the bench.
Suárez made an instant impact: in the 14th minute, Daniel Muñoz passed to Suárez, who sent a cross that Arias expertly flicked into the net past Ghana’s goalkeeper, Lawrence Ati Zigi, giving Colombia a 1-0 advantage.
After the match, Lorenzo indicated that Córdoba “felt a pull,” mentioning that further tests would be needed to assess the injury.
Colombia nearly doubled their lead in the 56th minute when Luis Díaz found the back of the net, only to have the goal disallowed due to an offside call. Moments later, Zigi denied Díaz from close range with a crucial save.
Zigi ended the match with seven saves, keeping Ghana in contention.
Ghana was unable to record a single shot on goal, marking Colombia’s third consecutive shutout.
In his 10th World Cup start, veteran playmaker James Rodríguez tied the record with Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincón for the most World Cup starts by a Colombian player. However, Rodríguez exited the match at halftime.
Lorenzo explained, “There were several players with flu-like symptoms, and we were concerned about their levels of fatigue. But it was also a tactical substitution.”
The game kicked off in sweltering conditions, with temperatures at 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31.1 Celsius) and a heat index of 96. The late start was intentional to accommodate the oppressive heat of Midwestern summers, making hydration breaks a crucial relief for players battling dehydration and cramps.
Colombia had sailed through the group stage, conceding just one goal in victories over Uzbekistan and Congo DR, along with a draw against Portugal. Their impressive performance has led Spain coach Luis de la Fuente to label them “a candidate to win the World Cup.”
Colombia star Díaz acknowledged, “We haven’t won anything yet. Every match is tough, and we’ve seen how close the games are. The positive takeaway is that we’re playing really well, feeling comfortable, bonding as a team, and working together, which will be crucial for the challenges ahead.”
Colombian fans are certainly optimistic about their team’s prospects.
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Leboeuf ‘disappointed’ with Ghana’s performance vs. Colombia
The venue, home to the NFL’s Chiefs, featured three tiers of seating, with a band of yellow seats between red, creating a vibrant atmosphere as the stadium filled with Colombian supporters about two hours prior to kickoff.
Despite knowing they were underdogs, Ghana, who failed to qualify for last year’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in nearly two decades, had already silenced many critics by advancing through a challenging group led by England and Croatia.
The key question for Colombia was whether Ghana could generate sufficient offensive pressure.
As anticipated, Los Cafeteros dominated possession, a continuation of Ghana’s struggles from the group stage, where they held possession only 36.1% of the time—the second lowest of any advancing team. Even when Ghana managed to push forward, Colombia swiftly countered with the speed of Suárez, Díaz, and their midfielders.
“It was an intense match. Tough for both sides, just as I expected,” said Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz. “Colombia began the game quickly and with high intensity. We attempted to respond and contain them, but unfortunately, they scored too early on us.”
Reporting contributed by ESPN’s Bill Connelly and The Associated Press.