Muñoz Breaks DR Congo’s Resistance Late, Sends Colombia Into World Cup Knockouts

Colombia battered the door for 75 minutes before Daniel Muñoz finally kicked it open. A stunning eight-save performance from goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi kept DR Congo level for the vast majority of the contest, but Muñoz struck from the right side of the box in the 76th minute to seal a 1-0 win that confirms Colombia’s place in the Round of 32 with a game to spare.

Colombia vs DR Congo 1-0 Highlights — World Cup 2026 Group K

For long stretches at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, this looked like it might end in frustration for Colombia. They dominated the ball, carved out chance after chance, and watched Mpasi deny them time and again — until Muñoz, Colombia’s hero from their opener against Uzbekistan, delivered once more.

Match Summary:

Muñoz Breaks the Deadlock — Colombia’s Late Breakthrough

The pattern of the match was set early. James Rodríguez, making his 10th World Cup appearance to equal the Colombian record jointly held by Freddy Rincón and Carlos Valderrama, forced Mpasi into a save with a powerful strike inside the opening 11 minutes. Luis Díaz nearly broke through in the 18th minute too, only to be denied by a smart Mpasi foot-save after a clever turn inside the box.

Colombia kept coming after the break — Díaz forced another fine stop from Mpasi in the 51st minute, with Jhon Arias dragging the rebound wide moments later. DR Congo had their own scare late on when Yoane Wissa’s effort off a Simon Banza assist was blocked in the 73rd minute, but Colombia made the breakthrough count almost immediately after. Muñoz struck from the right side of the penalty area in the 76th minute, finally beating a goalkeeper who had repelled everything thrown at him until that point.

📺 Watch the full match highlights: Colombia vs DR Congo 1-0 — FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Highlights

Lionel Mpasi’s Heroic Goalkeeping Masterclass

Mpasi’s eight-save performance was, by any measure, the individual story of the match. Time and again he stood tall against a relentless Colombian attack, repelling efforts from James Rodríguez, Díaz, and Arias before Muñoz’s strike finally beat him. Even after going behind, DR Congo continued to push, threatening sporadically through Edo Kayembe, Cédric Bakambu, and Wissa, though they lacked the clinical edge to find an equalizer. Díaz thought he’d doubled Colombia’s lead late on, only for his finish to be ruled out for offside.

Group K Outlook: Colombia Through, DR Congo’s Hopes Still Alive

The win moves Colombia to six points from two matches, sealing their progress to the knockout stage ahead of a final group game against Portugal, who hammered Uzbekistan 5-0 earlier on the same day. DR Congo remain on one point following their opening draw with Portugal, and will now need a result against Uzbekistan in their final fixture to keep any hope of qualification alive.

For full FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K results, Colombia and DR Congo match updates, and live coverage, visit fawanewss.co.uk.