MIAMI, United States, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Colombia held Portugal to a goalless draw to win Group K as both teams advanced to the knockout stage on Saturday.
The scoreline did not reflect the quality of both sides, as their solid defenses effectively neutralized each other's attacking threats.
Watched by 64,478 spectators, the majority of them Colombian supporters, the South American side held the upper hand and spent the closing stages of the match applying sustained pressure on the Portuguese goal.
Colombia has garnered seven points from two wins and one draw while Portugal has five points from one victory and two draws. DR Congo also qualified from the group following a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is out without a point.
Colombia will play against Ghana, which lost 2-1 to Croatia earlier Saturday. Portugal, which entered the expanded 48-team tournament as a favorite, will take on Croatia.
Both teams produced an energetic display. Bruno Fernandes came close to giving Portugal the lead in the first half, but his effort was superbly saved by Camilo Vargas. At the other end, Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa was called into action repeatedly, making six saves - more than he had in the team's previous two matches combined.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo's only notable contribution was a free kick that flew straight into the arms of Vargas.
The match began with a moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. Before kickoff, the stadium's giant screen also paid tribute to Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, who, along with his brother Andre Silva, died in a car accident in Spain in July 2025. ■
