Luis Suárez made a significant impact as Colombia earned a 1-0 win over Ghana in the 2026 World Cup round of 32 on Saturday.
What happened?
Colombia's Jhon Arias scored the only goal of the match with a superb first-time finish, after Luis Suárez delivered a sumptuous cross.
Luis Suárez replaced the injured Jhon Cordoba inside the opening 10 minutes and made an immediate impact.
Why it matters for Luis Suárez
Suárez remained a constant threat throughout, linking play intelligently and leading the line superbly in a match-winning performance.
Ghana's Lawrence Ati-Zigi produced a series of heroic stops to keep the scoreline down, including excellent saves to deny Johan Mojica and Davinson Sanchez.
What comes next?
Colombia will move into the last 16 for the first time since 2018, while Ghana remains winless against South American opposition in the World Cup.
Luis Suárez's performance will be a significant boost to Colombia's chances in the tournament.
Colombia has now kept a clean sheet in each of their last three matches at the 2026 World Cup, underlining their defensive discipline.
The win was Colombia's first in the round of 32 since 2014, and they will look to build on this momentum in the next round.
Luis Suárez's experience and skill were evident throughout the match, as he controlled the tempo of the game and created chances for his teammates.
The 2026 World Cup has seen several upsets so far, but Colombia's win over Ghana was a predictable outcome given their recent form.
Ghana's Jordan Ayew had a miserable outing, failing to make an impact on the game.
Colombia's Gustavo Puerta also had an outstanding game, covering every blade of grass and driving Colombia forward with intelligent passes.
The match was played at the Kansas City Stadium, with Colombia's fans cheering them on to victory.
Luis Suárez's goal-scoring ability was not needed on this occasion, but his creativity and vision were essential to Colombia's win.
Colombia will face a tougher test in the next round, but with Luis Suárez in this form, they will be confident of progressing further in the tournament.