Colombia top group after goalless draw against Portugal
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (7) reacts during the World Cup Group K soccer match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami Gardens, Florida, on June 27.
PHOTO: Associated Press
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida – Colombia finished the World Cup's opening round as the Group K winner after playing Portugal to a scoreless draw Saturday (June 27) night.
Both squads had already secured spots in the knockout stage before the match, needing only to learn their opponents for the next round.
Colombia will play Ghana, which lost 2-1 to Croatia earlier Saturday. Portugal, which entered the expanded 48-team tournament as a favourite, will face Croatia as the Group K runner-up.
Both squads put forth lively efforts. Bruno Fernandez came close to putting Portugal ahead in the first half, but was denied by Camilo Vargas.
Portugal's Diogo Costo had six saves, more than in the team's first two matches combined. Davinson Sanchez thought he had given Colombia a lead with a back-post header just a minute into stoppage time, but he was ruled offside and the goal was disallowed.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal squad, looking for its first World Cup title, heads to the knockout stage after an up-and-down group stage.
Portugal opened group play with a surprising 1-1 draw against Congo. Ronaldo faced criticism after failing to score in that match, and answered by becoming the first player to score in six World Cup with two goals in Portugal's 5-0 win over Uzbekistan.
Colombia, which did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup, opened with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan then topped Congo 1-0.
The match played at the home stadium of the NFL's Miami Dolphins took place in front of a sellout crowd of 64,478 that included former Colombia football star Carlos Valderrama, Fifa President Gianni Infantino – who sat in a suite with FBI director Kash Patel and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio – NFL quarterback Jameis Winston, NBA player Jimmy Butler, actor Matt Damon and former NFL receiver Chad Johnson.
Multiple watch parties held across South Florida to accommodate those who couldn't secure tickets to the high-demand match, including one with thousands in attendance at the home arena of the NHL's Florida Panthers.
[[nid:739076]]