Evening Standard
·18 June 2026
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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·18 June 2026
Fans Stateside were treated to more standout matches, but what did UK watchers miss out on?
UK fans who did not stay up overnight to watch the World Cup missed out on a player achieving a childhood dream and some dance moves from Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz.
Speaking after scoring and providing an assist for Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz in Colombia’s 3-1 win over tournament debutants Uzbekistan, Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz could not hide his delight.
“What could be more beautiful than contributing with a goal and an assist?” he told reporters after the game.
“We’re a very close-knit group, we’ll keep improving game by game, and I’m just very, very happy.”
Goals in the second from Diaz and Jaminton Campaz ultimately saw Colombia come out on top as the last two teams began their World Cup campaign.
The South Americans broke the deadlock when Diaz’s cross into the box was met by a well-timed run from Munoz to steer the ball past goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov.
Uzbekistan showed more attacking intent after the break and found an equaliser with their first real opportunity on the hour mark, Camilo Vargas saving Eldor Shomurodov’s volley only for the ball to loop up and Abbosbek Fayzullaev headed home from almost on the line.
The lead lasted just five minutes, Yusupov failing to keep out Diaz’s shot as Colombia broke in numbers after regaining possession in midfield.
Substitute Campaz finally ended any doubt as he headed in Cucho Hernandez’s cross nine minutes into stoppage time, although teenager Bekhruz Karimov still had time to crash a shot against the crossbar.
Ghana 1-0 Panama
In the other overnight fixture, Ghana left it late to overcome Panama in Toronto. Caleb Yirenkyi scored an injury-time winner for the Black Stars, who now join England on three points at the top of Group L.
"First we had to suffer, we battled like warriors,” Queiroz told ITV Sport. “We won the game with the brains.
“We knew that they would control the game but step-by-step this was our strategy to let them come and start to make the control until we scored because this is the way to win. Win all the time."







































