Colombia, Portugal, and DR Congo Qualify for Knockout Stage; South Korea Eliminated

By Hu Jie, The Paper

June 28, Beijing time — In the final round of Group K at the 2026 USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup, Portugal faced Colombia in a crucial match for the top spot in the group. The game ended in a 0-0 draw.

Group winners Colombia will face Ghana in the knockout stage, while group runners-up Portugal will take on Croatia.

In the other group match, DR Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1. While DR Congo secured one of the eight best third-place spots to advance to the knockout stage, their victory also dashed South Korea's hopes of qualifying. Previously hanging by a thread on the qualification line, South Korea now faces complete elimination, while Iran's path to advancement remains precarious.

After three days of waiting, South Korea's probability of reaching the final 32 dropped from an initial 94% all the way to 0%. This marks South Korea's 12th World Cup appearance. In the previous tournament, they reached the knockout stage but exited in the round of 16. Including this edition, South Korea has failed to advance past the group stage in three of their last four World Cup appearances.

The group standings before the match were clear: Colombia had already qualified with two wins and 6 points, needing only a draw to secure top spot; Portugal sat in second with 1 win and 1 draw (4 points), needing a victory to claim the group lead. Since the two teams had never met in an official match before, this encounter was full of uncertainty from the start.

Ahead of the match, the Portuguese team was determined to secure victory. Manager Martinez confirmed at the press conference that all 26 squad members were fit and available, and emphasized that Cristiano Ronaldo was "in excellent form" after scoring a brace against Uzbekistan in the previous match. Martinez praised Colombia's transition speed and clear tactical system, advising his players to "stay calm and not be led by emotion."

Colombia, equally well-prepared, had manager Lorenzo specifically instructing his players to closely mark Ronaldo. "Cristiano is one of the best players in the world and a game finisher — you cannot give him any space near the box."

Portugal's starting lineup was nearly identical to the one that beat Uzbekistan 5-0 in the previous match, with only Ruben Neves replacing Joao Neves. Notably, since their first World Cup appearance in 1966, this was only the second time Portugal has fielded the same starting XI in consecutive matches (the first being the 1966 semifinal and third-place match).

Starting the match, Cristiano Ronaldo equaled Lothar Matthäus with 25 appearances, tying for second place on the all-time World Cup appearance list, behind only Lionel Messi at the top with 28 appearances. For Colombia, captain James Rodriguez made his 11th appearance, becoming the player with the most World Cup appearances in Colombian history.

In the first half, Colombia held a slight advantage, with 55% possession and 12 shots compared to Portugal's 9.

In the 2nd minute, Diaz cut inside and had his shot blocked, with Cordoba following up with a header that went just over. In the 17th minute, Cordoba and Diaz had consecutive attempts, but Costa made two saves in quick succession to keep the ball out.

In the 22nd minute, Arias fired a shot from a tight angle, with Ruben Neves clearing it off the line. In the 39th minute, Bruno Fernandes' close-range shot from the box was saved by Vargas, and Ronaldo's subsequent bicycle kick was blocked. Throughout the first half, Ronaldo was very active, registering 3 shots (1 on target), 18 touches, and 2 ball recoveries.

Notably, the match-day temperature in Miami was approximately 30-32°C, with humidity between 63-75%, making the heat index approach 38°C. As a result, many players draped ice packs or cold towels around their necks while hydrating on the sidelines, with stamina set to test both teams in the second half.

According to statistics, the two teams combined for 21 shots in the first half — the highest number of shots in any first 45 minutes of a match at the 2026 World Cup so far.

The second half saw both teams playing end-to-end football, but neither could break the deadlock.

In the 90+1 minute, Colombia had a free kick. Davinson Sanchez scored with a header, but VAR confirmed he was offside.