New York /New Jersey, 24 June (H.S.): A decisive second-half goal from Daniel Muñoz propelled Colombia into the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over DR Congo in a Group K encounter on Wednesday. The win marked Colombia’s second consecutive triumph in the tournament, taking their tally to six points and guaranteeing their place in the Round of 32 with one group-stage match still to play.

Colombia dominated possession from the outset and created several scoring opportunities, but DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi produced an outstanding performance to deny efforts from James Rodríguez, Luis Díaz and Jhon Arias.

Despite sustained pressure from the South American side, Colombia were unable to find a breakthrough in the first half, while DR Congo’s defence withstood repeated attacks to keep the score level.

The decisive moment finally arrived in the 76th minute. Receiving an accurate pass from Juan Quintero, Daniel Muñoz surged into the penalty area from the right flank and fired a low shot that took a slight deflection off a defender before finding the back of the net. The goal ultimately proved to be the match-winner.

DR Congo attempted to find an equaliser in the closing stages, but Colombia’s well-organised defence denied them any clear-cut opportunities.

With the victory, Colombia advanced to the knockout phase with six points from two matches. They will now face Portugal in their final group-stage fixture. DR Congo, meanwhile, remain on one point after two games and must defeat Uzbekistan in their last group match to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Colombia displayed attacking intent throughout the contest, while Lionel Mpasi’s series of impressive saves kept DR Congo in the match and ensured the game remained goalless for much of the evening. However, Muñoz’s late strike ultimately handed the South American side a valuable victory and secured their passage to the Round of 32.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar