Uzbekistan Faces Colombia in World Cup Debut on June 18
On June 18, Uzbekistan will go head-to-head with Colombia in the final match of the first round of the World Cup group stage. The game is set to kick off at 05:00 and will be broadcast live on Antena 1.
Group K also includes Portugal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with another group match scheduled for Wednesday evening at 20:00.
This marks Uzbekistan’s first appearance at a World Cup.
LIVE at 05:00 » Uzbekistan vs. Colombia
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Stadium: Estadio Azteca (Mexico City)
Colombia, which reached the quarter-finals in 2014, returns to the World Cup after missing out on the 2022 edition. Under coach Nestor Lorenzo, the team showed impressive form in the South American qualifiers, finishing third, ahead of Uruguay and Brazil, with equal points but a superior goal difference compared to Brazil and more goals scored than Uruguay.
Notably, Luis Diaz was the second-highest scorer in the qualifiers with seven goals. The Bayern Munich winger is expected to start in tonight’s match.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan, coached by World Cup champion Fabio Cannavaro, boasts promising defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Manchester City and experienced forward Eldor Shomurodov.
“This World Cup demonstrates that there are no small teams and no opponent can be underestimated. Uzbekistan has achieved some very good results, has an excellent coach, many quality players, and is a very well-organized team that knows exactly how it wants to play. This is our challenge for tomorrow.” – Nestor Lorenzo, Head Coach of Colombia
