Rodríguez Leads Colombia to Winning Return as Uzbekistan Make Historic World Cup Debut

Colombia marked their return to the FIFA World Cup with a convincing 3-1 victory over tournament debutants Uzbekistan in their Group K opener, as captain James Rodríguez returned to the starting lineup and played a key role in the South American side’s successful start to the campaign.
The match, played at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, saw Colombia competing in the World Cup for the first time since 2018 after failing to qualify for the 2022 edition. Much of the pre-match focus centred on Rodríguez, whose fitness had been under scrutiny in the lead-up to the tournament. However, coach Néstor Lorenzo showed confidence in the experienced playmaker by naming him in the starting eleven.
Colombia fielded a strong and seasoned side featuring Liverpool winger Luis Díaz, midfielder Jefferson Lerma and defender Davinson Sánchez. Their experience proved decisive as the team controlled large portions of the game and capitalised on key opportunities.
Defender Daniel Muñoz opened the scoring for Colombia before Díaz doubled the advantage with a well-taken goal. Uzbekistan, competing in their first-ever World Cup match, responded through Abbosbek Fayzullaev, whose strike not only reduced the deficit but also became the nation’s first goal in World Cup history.
Despite the spirited response from the Central Asian side, Colombia restored their two-goal cushion when Jaminton Campaz found the net, sealing a comfortable victory and three valuable points.
Uzbekistan, coached by former Italy captain and World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, showed moments of promise despite the defeat. Led by veteran striker Eldor Shomurodov, the newcomers demonstrated resilience and attacking intent but were ultimately unable to match Colombia’s quality and experience.
The result gives Colombia an early advantage in Group K and boosts their hopes of reaching the knockout stage, while Uzbekistan will look to build on their encouraging debut performance in their remaining group matches.