Football
Colombia edge Ghana to book World Cup last-16 spot
Colombia defeated Ghana 1-0 on Friday to become the final team to qualify for the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jhon Arias scored the only goal of the match in the 14th minute at Arrowhead Stadium after Luis Suárez delivered a cross from the right flank.
The South Americans dominated the contest, registering eight shots on target, but were repeatedly denied by Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi, while Luis Díaz missed several opportunities to extend the lead.
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Ghana struggled to threaten Colombia’s defence and failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match.
The victory sets up a Round of 16 clash between Colombia and Switzerland in Vancouver on Tuesday, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
Despite the missed chances, Díaz, who was named Man of the Match, praised Colombia’s overall display but admitted the team needed to be more clinical in front of goal.
“We’re just missing that little detail of finishing a bit better and staying composed. I think we played a very solid game,” he said.