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Colombia concluded the group stage of the 2026 World Cup this Saturday as the undisputed leader of the , while Portugal advanced as the second qualifier and the Democratic Republic of the Congo achieved a historic advancement to the Round of 32 as the best third-placed team. Uzbekistan was eliminated without earning a single point in three matches.
The final day took place this Saturday with two matches happening simultaneously. At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Colombia and Portugal drew 0-0, a result that was enough for the coffee growers to finish the group with 7 points.
In the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the DR Congo came back from an initial goal by Uzbekistan and won 3-1 to secure their place as the best third team with 4 points.
The most talked-about moment of the match between Colombia and Portugal was a header from Davinson Sánchez that was disallowed by VAR for offside, which would have given the Colombians the lead. The goalkeeper Camilo Vargas also starred with a crucial save against a shot from Bruno Fernandes.
In Atlanta, Shomurodov put Uzbekistan ahead in the 10th minute, but the DR Congo reacted decisively: Yoane Wissa equalized with a penalty in the 23rd minute, Fiston Mayele made it 2-1 in the 32nd, and Wissa himself sealed the score in the 90th. According to CNN Español, it was the historic first victory for Congo in a World Cup and their first advancement to the knockout stage.
The group had been practically defined since the second round. Colombia defeated the DR Congo 1-0 on June 23 at the Akron Stadium with a goal by Daniel Muñoz in the 76th minute, while Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 with a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
In the opening day, Colombia made its debut with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Banorte Stadium in Mexico City. Portugal, on the other hand, drew 1-1 with the DR Congo in Houston, a match in which Cristiano Ronaldo scored in his sixth different World Cup, setting a historic milestone.
The final table of Group K was as follows: Colombia (7 points, GD +3), Portugal (5 points, GD +5), DR Congo (4 points, GD +1), and Uzbekistan (0 points, GD -9).
In the Round of 16, Colombia will face the second-placed team from Group L, with Kansas City as the likely venue on July 3rd. The DR Congo, whose qualification as one of the best third-placed teams is still provisional pending the conclusion of other groups, has a matchup against England scheduled for July 1st.
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