Colombia open with the Azteca win they needed, and the group starts on their terms.

Colombia did not let the opener become a nervous chase.

Colombia got the 3-1 win they needed against Uzbekistan, and the shape of the night mattered almost as much as the score. Díaz gave the match its sharpest Colombian edge, Daniel Muñoz helped turn the early control into a lead, and the final whistle left Group K pointing toward Colombia.

Uzbekistan made enough of a match of it to keep the night honest. This was not a parade through Mexico City. Colombia still had to manage the space behind their attacks, keep the ball from becoming loose, and make sure the first goal did not become the only good spell they owned.

The win makes the two-Azteca stretch useful

The schedule gave Colombia a gift only if they took care of the first night. Two straight matches at Azteca can feel like a base, but only after the opener lands. With three points already banked, the DR Congo match can now become a chance to press the group instead of repair it.

Díaz was the player Uzbekistan had to fear most, and Colombia kept finding ways to make him matter. That is the part that should travel into the next match: not just the scoreline, but the feeling that Colombia's best players could still tilt the game when Uzbekistan tried to drag it back.

What matters next

DR Congo now come to the same stadium on June 23. If Colombia back this opener up, the Portugal finale in Miami can become a position battle rather than a rescue mission.

Keep the Colombia schedule page open for the full match timeline. The wider Colombia team hub and Colombia squad page stay linked for the rest of Group K.