Colombia squeeze into World Cup last-16 with slender win over Ghana

ended the spherical of 32 on the with a fantastic if unspectacular 1-0 victory over in Kansas Metropolis to finish the line-up of the last-16.

scored the one objective of the sport by assembly a cross from substitute and sweeping in his shot from the far put up.

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had a harder time after approaching at right-back for Ghana, dealing with the harmful as Colombia regarded the extra threatening workforce.

Ghana discovered some rhythm as received extra concerned, however Colombia twice got here near extending their lead earlier than the break – Diaz firing huge when unmarked within the field earlier than produced a wonderful save to show away ’s header.

Colombia thought they’d doubled their lead as they created an opportunity for Diaz to show in on the far put up, just for the offside flag to chop brief celebrations, Ati Zigi denying the previous Liverpool ahead moments later after one other sweeping transfer.

Diaz refused to get too excited, the participant saying: “We’ve got gained completely nothing.

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“The nice factor and the constructive factor is that we’re taking part in very nicely, we really feel snug, we’re being a household, we’re working as a workforce and that may work for what’s coming.”

Jhon Arias scored the successful objective for Colombia (Getty)

Ghana supervisor Carlos Queiroz his workforce have been fearful and missing expertise saying: “I felt actually shortly that a few of ​the ⁠Ghanaian gamers have been fearful. ‌They weren’t cool, calm, and picked up when the stress hit.

“It is a very ‌younger workforce. We’d like extra expertise, ‌we want time for some gamers to win what we name maturity. Once you ⁠play this type of competitors at this stage, you can’t solely rely on the keenness of the youths.

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“The objective got here too early for ‌us … It took a while for ​us to regulate and get better from that ‌substitution, and the objective ⁠got here in the mean time we have been making an attempt ⁠to resettle our workforce.”

Colombia will now journey to Vancouver to face within the spherical of 16.

Further reporting by PA.