Diaz pulls the strings in Mexico City
In a contest that required a touch of world-class quality to break the deadlock, Diaz stepped up to the plate. The former Liverpool man, now the crown jewel of the Bayern Munich attack, provided the creative spark that finally unlocked a stubborn Uzbekistan defense in the first half. After seeing a powerful effort strike the post earlier in the match, Diaz turned provider in the 40th minute. Picking up the ball in a dangerous area, Diaz measured a precise pass into the path of surging full-back Daniel Munoz. The Crystal Palace man produced an acrobatic finish to volley the ball past Utkir Yusupov.
Debutants fight back with historic goal before Bayern star restores the advantage
Uzbekistan, making their first-ever appearance at a World Cup finals, refused to be overawed by the occasion or the sea of Colombian yellow in the stands. Under the guidance of World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, the Asian side remained disciplined and compact, waiting for their moment to strike. That moment arrived on the hour mark when Abbosbek Fayzullaev reacted quickest to a rebound to head home a historic equaliser. The goal sparked scenes of wild celebration among the small pocket of Uzbekistan fans, but the joy was short-lived.
Just five minutes after being pegged back, Colombia found their lead again, and once more it was Diaz at the center of the action. Following a turnover in midfield, Gustavo Puerta fed Diaz, whose low drive was too powerful for Yusupov to handle. The ball squirmed through the goalkeeper's grasp to restore the Colombian advantage and settle the nerves of the travelling supporters.
Diaz relishes dream debut as Lorenzo demands more
After orchestrating the victory, the Bayern talisman reflected on the magnitude of his first World Cup appearance.
"I’m living out my childhood dream of playing in a World Cup for my national team and for my country," the 29-year-old star said after being named man of the match. "And what could be more beautiful than contributing with a goal and an assist?"
Despite the opening win, the mood in the dugout was more measured. Acknowledging the stubborn resistance put up by the Asian debutants, Colombia manager Nestor Lorenzo highlighted areas requiring refinement as the tournament progresses.
"We knew the first game wasn’t going to be easy," Lorenzo said. "We could have scored and built a bigger lead, but our opponents played well; they’re a very compact team and it was difficult for us to get through. We need to finish off our moves. We had a lot of possession but didn’t create crosses or shots on goal; we need to improve that."
The victory puts Colombia in a strong position in Group K following a draw between DR Congo and Portugal in the other group fixture.
Campaz seals it as Cannavaro looks ahead
The points were finally wrapped up deep into stoppage time when substitute Jaminton Campaz rose highest to head home a cross from Juan Camilo Hernandez. It was a cruel finish for Uzbekistan, who had nearly equalized again when teenager Bekhruz Karimov rattled the crossbar in the dying moments of the match. The 3-1 scoreline perhaps flattered Colombia, but the technical gulf eventually told.
Despite the defeat, Cannavaro saw plenty of positives in his team's resilience. "We need to improve," the legendary Italian defender said. "Beating Colombia and Portugal will be difficult. But today we stayed in the game until the end and the team knew when to weather the pressure and when to counter them through possession." Uzbekistan now face an uphill battle to progress, while Colombia will look to Diaz once again when they face tougher tests later in the tournament.