FOOTBALL – Daniel Munoz fired Colombia into the World Cup Round of 32 on Tuesday, sealing a 1-0 win over Congo DR in Group K after goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi had threatened to turn the match into a night of frustration.
Munoz struck the winner from the right side of the penalty area in the 76th minute, finally beating Mpasi who had repeatedly denied Colombia with an inspired performance.
Colombia, who opened their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, commanded possession and created numerous chances.
James Rodriguez, making his 10th World Cup appearance to equal the Colombian record jointly held by Freddy Rincon and Carlos Valderrama, forced Mpasi into action with a powerful strike in the 11th minute.
The goalkeeper stood firm, repelling efforts from Jhon Arias and winger Luis Diaz, who came close to breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute, controlling a chipped pass inside the penalty area, turning smartly, and firing a shot goalwards, only for Mpasi to save with his foot.
The African side, buoyed by their opening 1-1 draw with Portugal, threatened sporadically through Edo Kayembe, Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa but lacked a clinical finish.
By halftime, Colombia had registered 15 shots, including six on target, with nine of their 10 outfield players attempting efforts.
In the stands, Congo DR had support from Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, the team’s famous “living statue” fan, who made his World Cup debut after missing the opener against Portugal because of Ebola quarantine requirements.
Colombia resumed on the front foot after the break, Diaz forcing another fine save from Mpasi in the 51st minute before Arias dragged the rebound wide.
Wissa almost snatched the lead for Congo DR in the 73rd minute when his shot from Simon Banza’s assist was blocked, but Colombia struck shortly after through Munoz.
“Against a team like that, you have to find the spaces between the lines; if you play too predictably, they press you and hit you on the counter-attack,” Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo said.
Colombia moved to six points from two matches and guaranteed their progress to the knockout stage ahead of their final group game against Portugal, who beat Uzbekistan 5-0 earlier on Tuesday.
Congo DR remained on one point and will need a result against Uzbekistan to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Lorenzo praised his side’s composure and attacking variety.
He said his team had grown in performance despite the pressure of a tight contest.
Lorenzo said Colombia had to use different channels and lanes to find space against Congo DR’s compact defence.
The coach praised Rodriguez and Suarez, saying both gave everything in a tight match before being substituted for fresh legs.
Colombia face Portugal next, with Lorenzo calling them “a huge team” and a major contender to win the World Cup.
Colombia must not focus only on Cristiano Ronaldo.
“You have to be very careful and not leave him alone in different situations, especially whenever he is close to the goal area. But Portugal is a complete team. You should not only point out Cristiano,” he said.
Lorenzo thanked the large Colombian support in Mexico, saying the players were inspired by the “yellow shirt” filling the stadium.
After being named Player of the Match, Munoz sought to temper the well-deserved accolades.
“Just because I scored the goal doesn’t mean I’m the star. We’re all the stars. We all earned these three points. This is a family, and here, the star is Colombia,” Munoz said after the match.
“The effort of the entire team deserves recognition. Nothing is easy; nobody is getting anything for free,” he said.
In Colombia’s first match last week, Munoz paved the way to victory by slipping into the Uzbekistan penalty area in the 40th minute to score the opening goal of a contest that ended 3-1.
The defender already knows what it is like to score for the national team.
In the 2024 Copa America, where Colombia finished runners-up, he netted two goals to end the tournament as one of Colombia’s top goalscorers.
Tuesday’s goal takes his overall tally to five in 46 appearances.
A fast-paced player, Munoz operates along the right flank and is not only an effective finisher but also a prolific provider.
During his four seasons with Genk in Belgium, he played in a more offensive role and scored 19 goals and provided 20 assists.
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