Colombia, who topped Group D with seven points, will face Panama in the quarter-finals after a hard-fought draw against Brazil. It was a match that lived up to its billing, with both sides giving it their all from the get-go.
Daniel Munoz’s first-half strike for Colombia canceled out an early, impressive free kick from Brazil’s Raphinha. The result extended Colombia’s unbeaten streak to an impressive 26 games, although it did end their 10-match winning run.
Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo said of the match, “It was a game we all wanted to play to measure ourselves, and I think we took another step forward today. With Brazil, you can’t afford to take your eye off the ball for a second. We’re satisfied with our performance against a tough opponent, and now we focus on Panama.”
Brazil defender Marquinhos acknowledged that the team has room to improve: “We have to be honest with ourselves; we still have a lot of growing to do and a lot to improve, especially in these big games.”
The match between the unbeaten Colombians and the five-time World Cup champions delivered on its promise of excitement. In a frenzied first 15 minutes at Levi’s Stadium, Vinicius Jr. received a yellow card for accidentally striking James Rodriguez while battling for a loose ball, ruling the winger out of the upcoming Uruguay match.
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| July 2, 2024; Santa Clara, CA: Colombia defender Daniel Munoz scores past Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the first half at Levi’s Stadium. Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports |
Rodriguez came agonizingly close to opening the scoring, only to clip the crossbar from the resulting free kick. However, he was upstaged by Raphinha, who curled a sublime free kick into the top corner to give Brazil the lead in the 12th minute.
Colombia thought they had equalized through Davinson Sanchez’s header, but the goal was disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR check. Brazil appealed for a penalty just before halftime when Munoz brought down Vinicius in the box, but replays showed the defender got a touch on the ball.
Just before the break, Colombia struck back. Jhon Cordoba found space on the edge of the area and played a brilliant through ball to Munoz, who finished with a powerful effort. The second half maintained its intensity despite the California heat, with both teams creating chances. Raphinha went close again from a free kick, while Colombia substitute Rafael Borre blazed over from close range.
In the dying moments, Colombia keeper Camilo Vargas produced a sharp save to deny Brazil substitute Andreas Pereira’s long-range effort, ensuring the game ended all square.
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