Published June 28, 2026
Colombia and Portugal played out a breathtaking 0-0 draw inside the sound wall of Miami Stadium, with both teams advancing to the last 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the top two in Group K.
The Colombians will regret their profligacy in front of goal on Saturday, but will take heart from dominating a quality European opponent for long periods of time as they head to Kansas City as group winners to face Ghana on Friday.
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Needing a win to finish first in their group, Portugal heads north to Toronto to face Croatia on Thursday, knowing they have yet to find a way to blend all the talent in their squad into an effective team.
The match started with a cacophony of noise from a group of yellow-shirted South Americans, and the decibel level went up a notch in the first minute when striker John Cordoba headed the ball over the bar.
John Arias caused trouble every time he charged Portugal, and in the 17th minute he set Córdoba free and the big target man unleashed a rocket shot that was brilliantly stopped by keeper Diogo Costa.
Five minutes later, after a beautifully fluid movement, winger Arias took a shot himself and threaded the ball into the top corner, but just in the nick of time Ruben Neves arrived and parried the ball away.
However, Colombia struggled at times to clear their lines cleanly, and this weakness gave Portugal their best chance at the end of the first half.
In the 39th minute, Bruno Fernandes was free in front of goal and his shot resulted in a fine save from Camilo Vargas in the Colombian goal at close range.
Three minutes before half-time, Joao Félix deftly chested the ball over a defender and fired an acrobatic volley over the bar.
Colombia continued to press forward in search of a goal worthy of their advantage, with both Gustavo Puerta and playmaker James Rodriguez troubling the goalkeeper with shots before the break.
Portugal stepped up their attack after the break, but it was Colombia who continued to create the best chances, with Arias setting up substitute Richard Ríos for a shot that went wide.
Arias curled a shot towards goal, which was well saved by Costa and just before the water breakPuerta sent another chance wide.
In the 73rd minute, just before Rodriguez and Arias were substituted, Rodriguez’s volley went wide, but Colombia continued to advance at every opportunity.
Davinson Sanchez thought he had scored the winner with a far-post header with a minute left, but a VAR check ruled it out for severe offside.
Rafael Leao came close to winning the match in stoppage time when he fired a shot wide of goal, but the referee finally called time on what was an entertaining game played in front of a crowd of 64,478 on a sweltering Miami night.
Portugal’s totem, Cristiano Ronaldo, was booed every time he touched the ball and starved for service, but he had few opportunities and the only shot on target was a long-range free kick that hit the goalkeeper.
Wissa takes Democratic Republic of Congo to face England in last 32
In Saturday’s other group match, Yohan Wissa scored twice as the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 to advance to the last 32 of the World Cup for the first time in their history.
They will face England after their first World Cup win.
Uzbekistan got off to a perfect start in Atlanta as Eldor Shomrodov’s lob beat Lionel Mpathi.
But Newcastle striker Wissa equalized from the penalty spot, followed by Fiston Maiele’s goal that sent the mostly Congolese crowd into a frenzy.
Wissa scored a stunning goal in stoppage time, his third goal of the tournament, capping off a historic night for the Africans.
Earlier on Saturday, Jude Bellingham dragged England through a tough Panama Test, with Harry Kane scoring and setting the stage for a 2-0 win and a place in the World Cup’s round of 32 as Group L winners.
England were forced to practice for more than an hour in a rainy New Jersey, but Bellingham broke the deadlock, and Kane headed home his 11th World Cup goal, overtaking Gary Lineker to become England’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Nikola Vlasic headed Luka Modric’s 83rd-minute corner kick to give Croatia a 2-1 win over Ghana on Saturday and finish second in Group L of the World Cup.
Vlasic’s perfect shot inside the left post came 10 minutes after Derrick Lucassen had brought Ghana level on his international debut. Half of that time was spent on a VAR review to determine if the ball was onside.
Petar Sučić scored early for Croatia, and a draw was enough for them to advance to the last 32. By clinching second place, the 2022 third-place finisher is guaranteed to play Group K’s second-place team, Portugal, in Toronto on Thursday.
