Colombia Edge Past Ghana 1-0 to Reach World Cup Last 16

How it unfolded

Colombia started brightly and took the lead early. In the 14th minute, Jhon Arias found the back of the net to put his side ahead. The goal came after sustained pressure from the Colombian attack. Ghana struggled to create chances in the first half, and Colombia went into the break with a 1-0 advantage.

The decisive moments

The decisive moment of the match came early, when Arias scored the only goal. Colombia dominated the statistics, registering 60% ball possession and 20 total shots. Of those 20 attempts, 8 were on target, while Ghana could not manage a single shot on goal despite taking 8 total shots. Colombia's control of the game ensured they never looked like losing their lead.

What it means

With this victory, Colombia booked their place in the round of 16 of the World Cup 2026. They will now face a tougher test in the next stage. For Ghana, the loss means elimination from the tournament. Colombia will take confidence from their dominant performance, while Ghana will rue their inability to test the Colombian goalkeeper.