One swing of Daniel Muñoz's left boot was all it took to drag Colombia into the World Cup Round of 32. The Crystal Palace right back struck in the 76th minute on Tuesday in Zapopan, sealing a grinding 1-0 win over DR Congo after a long night of frustration at Guadalajara's Estadio Akron. With the victory, Colombia moves to six points from two games and sits alone at the top of Group K with one match left to play.
Muñoz’s deflected finish finally cracks Congo
For most of the night, DR Congo looked like they might escape again. Fresh off holding Portugal to a surprise draw earlier in the tournament, they kept their shape and dared Colombia to find a way through.
Muñoz eventually did. Ghosting into the box to meet a low delivery, he swung his left foot and saw his shot take a faint deflection that wrong-footed goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi and trickled in for the only goal of the game. According to AFP, that decisive touch was enough to separate the sides after a stubborn, tight contest.
The defender was later named man of the match, a tidy reward for turning a nervy stalemate into a statement win.
Goalkeepers steal the spotlight in tense finish
If the scoreline was narrow, it was because both keepers refused to blink. Mpasi kept DR Congo in it early, producing a string of big saves, including five difficult stops inside the opening 20 minutes as Colombia came flying out of the gate.
Colombia then had to grind, probing for space that rarely appeared, while DR Congo waited for their moment on the counter. When that late surge finally came, Colombia's own keeper stepped into the spotlight. Camilo Vargas pulled off two crucial saves in stoppage time to preserve the clean sheet and, with it, Colombia's perfect start.
"I think we were the deserved winners," coach Néstor Lorenzo said afterward, a fair assessment given the volume of Colombian chances. Muñoz called the result "a morale boost" for the squad, a nod to how much work it took to finally break Congo's resistance. The postgame quotes and match details were reported by Sportsnet.
What this does to Group K
With two wins from two, Colombia now has six points, two clear of Portugal, and can lock up first place in Group K with just a draw in Miami. That showdown with Portugal is set for June 27 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where top spot and a potentially smoother path in the knockouts will be on the line.
DR Congo's route is far tougher. They must beat Uzbekistan in their final group match and then hope other results tilt in their favor to have any chance of sneaking through. The schedule and standings are laid out in FourFourTwo's coverage.
Congo’s emotional return and Ebola backdrop
For DR Congo, this World Cup campaign is about more than group math. It is their first appearance at the tournament since 1974, a long-awaited return that has carried heavy emotional weight back home.
That joy has been tempered by a recent Ebola outbreak that has complicated travel and preparations. Health advisories limited some supporters' ability to follow the team, and the final build-up to the tournament was shaped by ongoing public health concerns.
The World Health Organization and the DRC government have been coordinating a response to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in recent weeks. Details of that joint effort are outlined in a statement from the World Health Organization.
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