FIFA World Cup 2026. Daniel Muñoz sends Colombia into the knockout stage with victory over DR Congo Football News:

NEW DELHI: Daniel Muñoz scored the decisive goal as Colombia beat DR Congo 1-0 on Tuesday to become one of the first teams to secure a place in FIFA World Cup knockout stage.The defender saw the collapse in the 76th minute after a tight fight in Guadalajara. Muñoz’s left-footed effort from inside the box took a deflection off a defender before finding the back of the net, leaving DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi with no chance.It was Muñoz’s second goal of the tournament and was enough to give Colombia their second straight win in Group K.For most of the game, Mpasi kept DR Congo in the contest with an outstanding performance. The goalkeeper made five tough saves in the first 20 minutes as Colombia dominated possession and created many chances.DR Congo almost grabbed a stunning equalizer in stoppage time. Nathanael Mbuku tested Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas with a powerful long-range strike, but Vargas made an excellent save. Moments later, he denied Chancel Mbemba’s header from the resulting corner to preserve Colombia’s lead.Colombia thought they had sealed the game late on through Luis Díaz, but the Liverpool forward saw two goals disallowed in the space of two minutes. One was disallowed for a foul and the other was offside.The African side impressed in their opening match by holding Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to a 1-1 draw, but they could not repeat the result against a clinical Colombia side.With six points from two games, Colombia currently sit on top of Group K and have booked their place in the round of 32. Portugal are second after their 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, while DR Congo remain on one point.A draw against Portugal in their final group game was enough for Colombia to finish as group winners.The match also featured the return of popular DR Congo supporter Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, better known as “Lumumba Vea”. The fan, who became a viral sensation during the Africa Cup of Nations for standing like a statue throughout the game, attended the game after missing the team’s opener due to Ebola-related quarantine rules.Colombia, who failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, made an impressive return to the tournament with back-to-back victories. Veteran playmaker James Rodríguez also reached a milestone, joining Colombian greats Freddy Rincón and Carlos Valderrama with 10 World Cup appearances.