Ronaldo relieved the pressure with a brace against Uzbekistan - Photo: AFP
At 6:30 AM on June 28th, Portugal will face Colombia in the final match of Group K at the 2026 World Cup .
Colombia holds the advantage.
The highly anticipated match between Portugal and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (USA) will determine the top two positions in Group K. Portugal enters the final matchday after a resounding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan. This result helped Roberto Martinez's team relieve a lot of pressure after the disappointing goalless draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening match.
The biggest highlight of the recent victory was the brace from superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. These two goals not only helped the 41-year-old captain dispel doubts about his form, but also made him the first player to score in six World Cups.
Portugal are currently second in Group K with 4 points and must win against Colombia to take the top spot. Coach Roberto Martinez has a relatively full squad at his disposal. Although young center-back Tomas Araujo's participation is still uncertain due to injury, stars like Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, and Joao Felix are all ready to start to support Ronaldo in attack. Superstar Ronaldo is expected to continue his excellent form from the match against Uzbekistan and score again to lead Portugal to the top of the group.
On the other side of the battlefield, Colombia holds the advantage with a perfect 6 points after two victories against Uzbekistan (3-1) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-0). Coach Nestor Lorenzo's team only needs a draw to secure the top spot in Group K. The South American representative possesses a pragmatic yet highly effective playing style with outstanding players such as Luis Diaz and playmaker James Rodriguez.
In the match taking place at the same time, the Democratic Republic of Congo (1 point) will face Uzbekistan (0 points) in an attempt to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Is Messi being given a rest?
In Group J, the match between defending champions Argentina and Jordan will take place at 9:00 AM on June 28th. Argentina had already secured their place in the next round and were guaranteed first place in Group J after a convincing 2-0 victory over Austria.
The hero of that match was Lionel Messi with a superb brace. This double helped the superstar, who had just turned 39, officially surpass Miroslav Klose to become the top scorer in World Cup history with 18 goals.
However, with the goal of defending the title and preserving the energy of key players before the grueling matches ahead, coach Lionel Scaloni will likely implement a rotation policy in this game. Superstar Lionel Messi is expected to be rested or only come on as a substitute in the second half.
Players who rarely start, such as Thiago Almada, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, and Leandro Paredes, will have a chance to prove themselves. In defense, center-back Cristian Romero suffered a knee injury in the match against Austria and will definitely be absent, making way for Nicolas Otamendi to partner with Marcos Senesi.
Unpredictable in Group L
Jordan, a World Cup newcomer, has been officially eliminated after two consecutive defeats against Austria and Algeria. Despite having no chance of progressing further, the Asian team still aims to play a dedicated game and leave a positive impression in their first appearance at the biggest football event on the planet. Jordan's hopes will still rest on striker Ali Olwan and star player Musa Al-Taamari.
In Group J, Algeria and Austria (both with 3 points) will face off in a do-or-die battle for the second direct qualification spot in the group.
Before Groups J and K conclude, Group L will start earlier at 4 AM on June 28th (Vietnam time) with two matches: Panama vs. England and Croatia vs. Ghana. Group L is witnessing extremely unpredictable developments as England, Croatia, and Ghana all still have a chance to advance.
Match schedule for June 28th:
4 PM: Panama - England and Croatia - Ghana (Group L).
6:30 AM: Portugal vs. Colombia and Democratic Republic of Congo vs. Uzbekistan (Group K).
9:00 AM: Argentina vs. Jordan and Austria vs. Algeria (Group J).
Portugal wins by a narrow margin, Croatia likely to draw.
This is the opinion of former Vietnam national team striker Le Cong Vinh in an interview with Tuoi Tre newspaper ahead of the final two matches of Groups K and L. Here is Cong Vinh's analysis:
It's not easy to beat Colombia.
Former Vietnam national team striker Le Cong Vinh
Portugal was considered a strong contender for the title. However, they haven't lived up to that image in their last two matches. A 5-0 victory against World Cup newcomer Uzbekistan was nothing unusual. But their 1-1 draw against Congo revealed many weaknesses.
Playing against South American teams has never been easy for European teams. They play a very difficult style of football and often resort to dirty tactics. More importantly, Colombia is in a relaxed mood after reaching the round of 16 with two wins out of two matches. Colombia only needs a draw to secure first place in their group, while Portugal needs a win.
If Portugal plays like they did against Congo, they'll struggle to beat Colombia. They need to play more cohesively and with a more versatile style. A positive factor for Ronaldo and his teammates is that Colombia won't be giving their all in this match. Even so, I think Portugal will only win against Colombia by a minimal margin.
Ronaldo scored a brace against Uzbekistan and made World Cup history by scoring in six consecutive tournaments. This will motivate Ronaldo to perform even better against Colombia to help Portugal win. At 41, his speed and ball control may not be what they once were. But his class remains. Ronaldo can still create winning moments for himself or provide assists for his teammates.
A draw is likely in the Ghana - Croatia match.
Currently undergoing a generational transition, Croatia still relies on veteran players. Their playing style depends on the central midfield duo of Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic, although neither is as outstanding as they were four years ago. Meanwhile, Ghana displayed a frustrating style of play. They were physically strong, capable of winning tackles, and possessed excellent team cohesion. They left England with almost no space to play.
But I think Croatia and Ghana won't exert too much effort in this match. I'm leaning towards a draw because nobody wants to lose. Croatia also won't dare to take risks to win. Croatia isn't a strong team like England to play an attacking game, and they don't have quality strikers.
Ghana, playing defensively, has shown they are not an easy opponent to break through. If Croatia pushes forward, they could easily be counter-attacked by Ghana, and might even lose. No one wants to participate in the World Cup without aiming to advance to the next round. Ghana has a chance to do that. With 4 points in hand, Ghana's morale is also very high.
In the other match of Group L, Panama will not be able to withstand England. Firstly, there is a significant difference in class between the two teams. Secondly, England has the players who can change the course of the game. In this match, England will win by a margin of two goals or more.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ronaldo-tiep-tiep-no-sung-100260627114312398.htm
