As the World Cup 2026 kicks off, Colombia brings a wealth of experience to the field with a 4-2-3-1 formation. However, the team faces a pressing question regarding scoring, given that only Rodriguez and Diaz have surpassed six international goals in their careers.
The starting lineup for Colombia includes: 12 Vargas, 2 Munoz, 23 Sanchez, 3 Lucumi, 17 Mojica; 14 Puerta, 16 Lerma; 11 Arias, 10 Rodriguez, 7 Diaz; 25 Suarez.
Uzbekistan, under the guidance of Fabio Cannavaro, continues with the successful 3-4-3 formation that aided them during qualifying. Khusanov stands out as the sole player from a top European league in the starting eleven. Meanwhile, promising playmaker Fayzullaev, who plays at İstanbul Başakşehir alongside established striker Shomurodov, represents the hope for the team. The rest of the squad is composed of players from clubs in Uzbekistan, Iran, or the UAE.
The lineup for Uzbekistan features: 1 Yusupov; 18 Abdullaev, 5 Ashurmatov, 2 Khusanov; 13 Nasrullaev, 7 Shukurov, 6 Mozgovoy, 24 Karimov; 22 Fayzullaev, 11 Urunov, 14 Shomurodov.
In recent World Cup action, Ghana celebrated a dramatic last-minute victory against Panama, clinching the match 1-0 in Group L.
Justin Kavanagh shared his thoughts on a striker who struggled earlier in the day, noting, “Strange how we’ve seen a 40-year-old goalkeeper perform miracles for Cape Verde, and an aging Messi put on a masterclass for the next generation. Yet Ronaldo, for all his years of dedicated self-preservation, looks like the oldest man at this tournament. He used to be wind in Portugal’s sails, but now he looks like their anchor. Yet presumably Roberto Martínez won’t do the necessary and make him walk the plank.” He added that while Ronaldo used to be a key player for Portugal, “now he looks like their anchor.”
Another point raised was regarding Roberto Martinez, who must possess exceptional interview skills or some compromising material on influential football figures. Despite a lackluster coaching record, he has been handed arguably the best squad at the finals, leading to doubts about his ability to make decisive choices.
With standout performances from Harry Kane against Croatia, along with contributions from Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappé, the race for the golden boot is heating up.
As the World Cup groups begin to take shape, the match between Uzbekistan and Colombia marks the final game of the opening round. Fans are left to ponder each team’s potential journey toward the knockout stages, with opportunities to predict outcomes through Bracketology.
For those interested in audio discussions, Max, Barry, and the rest of the podcast team delve into similar topics.
The latest update from Yara El-Shaboury features a Football Daily round-up.
“Yet for all the brilliance of Mbappé and Haaland, football’s greatest showman was not about to accept third billing. Hours after the younger generation had dazzled, Lionel Messi wandered on to the stage and reminded us sequels rarely outperform the original. A first World Cup hat-trick. A record-equalling 16th World Cup goal. Another entry in the ever-expanding folder labelled ‘proof he still has it.’”
Argentina triumphed over Algeria with a 3-0 victory, and Messi’s influence was undeniable as he played a pivotal role in the match, even delivering a strong challenge that might have seen a lesser player penalized.
In contrast, Portugal had a rocky start, struggling offensively against DR Congo.
“Ronaldo’s baying followers, swathes of them with local accents and wearing his No 7 shirt, had done their best to cajole a meaningful contribution from their idol but ultimately they had to settle for being under the same roof. Perhaps they expected a repeat of Lionel Messi’s staggering performance the previous night but Ronaldo did little to assuage concerns that his presence, once glorious, is nowadays a dead weight.”
It has been an eventful matchday for England, who demonstrated their potential by scoring four goals against Croatia.
“They looked like they actually wanted to take part in a game of football, that this wasn’t just an activity to be undertaken out of fear and self-loathing. For the next 10 minutes, they swarmed all over Croatia, might have scored four, and gave a glimpse not so much of patterns of play, but of a willingness to actually do this, of the muscle, speed and ruthlessness that are undeniably there in this team.”
As the live coverage of the 2026 World Cup match between Uzbekistan and Colombia approaches, fans eagerly await the kickoff at the Estadio Azteca, scheduled for 8 PM local time (10 PM EDT/3 AM BST/12 PM AEST).
This last fixture of the opening round presents an intriguing matchup. Uzbekistan, making their World Cup debut, faced challenges during qualifying, managing only 14 goals in 10 AFC matches. They go up against a Colombian team that has seen a drop in form since an impressive unbeaten streak that lasted from 2022 to 2024.
Uzbekistan is one of the less familiar teams at this tournament, having started their qualification journey under Slovenian coach Srečko Katanec, who resigned in 2025 due to health issues. National hero Timur Kapadze took over seamlessly, leading the team to an unbeaten record in his eight matches in charge and securing their spot in North America.
Recently, the Uzbekistan FA appointed Fabio Cannavaro as coach. The 2006 World Cup-winning captain has yet to prove himself in coaching, having only briefly managed teams like Guangzhou Evergrande, Benevento, Udinese, and Dinamo Zagreb since 2021.
Colombia, just 18 months ago, was viewed as a contender for the title. Under Néstor Lorenzo, the team achieved significant victories against top teams like Germany, Brazil, and Japan, and reached the Copa America final. However, recent friendly losses to France and Croatia revealed the squad’s reliance on James Rodriguez, while Luis Diaz’s form has dipped since his move to Bayern Munich. The absence of Jhon Duran, who has faded since his transfer to Saudi Arabia, has left Lorenzo without a key asset.
Stay tuned for team news and a roundup of matchday events. Meanwhile, follow the ongoing match between Ghana and Panama and feel free to share your thoughts about the tournament by emailing jonathan.howcroft.freelance@.
