Colombia Beat DR Congo 1-0 on Daniel Munoz's Late World Cup Winner

Q: With their main striker struggling, is a defender Colombia's only hope for advancing?

No. Daniel Muñoz may be Colombia’s most in-form scorer right now, but he is not their only route to advancing. The concern is real: Luis Suárez has not translated his club form in Portugal into World Cup production, largely because organized defenses have denied him clear shooting chances. That has forced Colombia to look elsewhere for penetration, especially against a Ghana side expected to defend deep. Muñoz has become central to that adjustment. The Crystal Palace wing-back is timing late runs into the box, attacking spaces created when James Rodríguez and Juan Quintero drift inside, and he already delivered a late winner against DR Congo. His movement gives Colombia an extra attacker without changing shape, which is why he has become such an important weapon against low blocks. But Colombia’s hopes do not rest on one defender. Luis Díaz remains a major threat in transition, and James still gives them creativity between the lines. More broadly, Néstor Lorenzo’s side is on a 28-match unbeaten run and continues to generate volume in attack, averaging nearly 20 shots per game, even if the quality of those chances has sometimes been modest. The bigger issue is efficiency, not a lack of options. If Suárez remains quiet, Muñoz’s forward surges could again be decisive, but Colombia still has enough attacking variety to beat Ghana without relying solely on a defender to save them.

Q: Can Cabo Verde's unbreakable defense stop Messi's record-breaking scoring streak?

Probably not over 90 minutes, though Cabo Verde have a realistic chance of making Messi work much harder than most teams have. The evidence cuts both ways. Cabo Verde have been one of the tournament’s best defensive stories: they held Spain to 0-0, conceded only two goals in a group with Spain and Uruguay, and have relied on outstanding goalkeeping from Vozinha plus a compact, disciplined block led by Diney Borges and Pico Lopes. Their shape, low foul count and concentration have made them difficult to break down, and they have shown they can survive long spells without the ball. But Argentina present a tougher attacking problem than the Spain side Cabo Verde faced. Messi is in elite form, with five goals and a scoring run stretching across six consecutive World Cup matches since 2022, while Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez prevent opponents from focusing on him alone. Argentina have also scored eight goals already and arrive as one of the strongest title contenders. Cabo Verde’s best hope is not to “stop” Messi completely, but to limit his touches in central areas, force Argentina wide, and stay alive long enough to threaten on the counter, where they have looked most dangerous against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. If Vozinha repeats his Spain-level performance, they can keep the game close. Still, the balance of evidence favors Argentina and suggests Cabo Verde’s defense is more likely to delay Messi than end his streak.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jul 3

Daniel Munoz struck late to give Colombia a 1-0 World Cup win over DR Congo, delivering the decisive breakthrough after another tight game for the South Americans.
Colombia's attack has struggled to free its central strikers: Luis Suarez managed only one shot across matches against DR Congo and Uzbekistan, despite arriving with 28 Sporting goals.
Munoz has become a key alternative outlet, surging into space from right back as James Rodriguez or Juan Quintero drift inside; that pattern helped create the winner against DR Congo.
The result offers a template for tougher knockout games, with Colombia likely needing late, less predictable runners again to break down compact defenses such as Ghana's.