Colombia reached the final 16 of the World Cup for the third time of their final three appearances on the event with a 1-0 win over Ghana.
Los Cafeteros reached the quarter-finals at Brazil 2014 and the final 16 in 2018.
Nestor Lorenzo’s facet will now face Switzerland in Vancouver on July 7, with a spot within the quarter-finals, towards both Argentina or Egypt, on the road.
An undesirable piece of historical past was made early on in Kansas Metropolis, with each side compelled into modifications after accidents to Colombia’s Jhon Cordoba and Ghana’s Marvin Senaya. No World Cup match on file had ever seen each groups make modifications earlier than the fifteenth minute.
That didn’t disrupt the movement of the sport, nevertheless, and shortly after the second change, Colombia struck. Cordoba’s substitute Luis Suarez curled in a cross from the proper, which the untracked Jhon Arias – previously of Wolves – was in a position to information residence.
They need to have added to their lead earlier than the break, however Luis Diaz struck simply large after a fast counter, earlier than Suarez headed previous the other publish and Johan Mojica’s header was brilliantly clawed away by Lawrence Ati Zigi.
Simply earlier than the hour mark, Colombia celebrated a second when Luis Diaz slid in to transform a cross from Crystal Palace’s Jefferson Lerma, just for the assistant referee’s flag to lift his flag for offside.
Diaz, Davinson Sanchez and Juan Fernando Quintero every had additional possibilities to increase the lead, however towards a toothless Ghana assault, that slender benefit by no means regarded beneath menace.
The important thing moments in Kansas Metropolis…
- 1: SHOT! Ghana’s Thomas Partey exams the water with a shot from 25 yards that whistles simply large.
- 8: SUB! Colombia’s Jhon Cordoba taken off injured. Luis Suarez replaces him.
- 13: SUB! Ghana’s Marvin Senaya additionally goes off injured. Alidu Seidu comes on.
- 14: GOAL! Jhon Arias opens the scoring after being picked out by Suarez’s cross.
- 45+1: SAVE! Essential cease from Ghana’s Lawrence Ati Zigi to claw away Johan Mojica’s header.
- 57: GOAL DISALLOWED! Diaz slides in Jefferson Lerma’s cross, however he is flagged offside.
Evaluation: Colombia want to point out extra going ahead – and Quintero may very well be key
Juan Fernando Quintero created 5 possibilities regardless of approaching after 72 minutes
Sky Sports activities’ Dan Lengthy:
After Jhon Arias scored what proved to be the winner for Colombia within the first quarter-hour, Nestor Lorenzo’s facet regarded sharp. Ghana’s low block had served them nicely within the group phases, however it appeared the dominant Colombians would have greater than sufficient to place the sport to mattress.
However, regardless of producing 2.19 xG, the second objective simply by no means arrived.
It was not a difficulty, ultimately, as Ghana provided treasured little going ahead, however towards stronger opposition, they may nicely be punished for not taking their possibilities.
Lorenzo could nicely look into bringing in Juan Fernando Quintero to treatment that. The 33-year-old – who performs his membership soccer in Argentina with River Plate – changed Arias after 72 minutes, however was Colombia’s largest menace.
He had 24 touches, didn’t misplace a single one in all his 19 passes and created 5 possibilities – probably the most of any participant on the pitch. He virtually scored a contender for objective of the event, too, however, fortuitously for Ghana, his rocket flew large of the right-hand publish.
A beginning spot in Vancouver might nicely be within the offing.
