Colombia secured the final place in the FIFA World Cup last 16 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ghana at Arrowhead Stadium.
Softfootball understands that Jhon Arias’ first-half strike proved decisive as Los Cafeteros set up a meeting with Switzerland in Vancouver. Switzerland reached the World Cup last 16 for the first time in 88 years after a composed 2-0 victory over Algeria in Vancouver.
Ghana threatened early when Thomas Partey fired narrowly wide, but Colombia quickly took control despite losing Jhon Córdoba to injury. Substitute Luis Suárez made an immediate impact, delivering a cross for the unmarked Arias to finish in the 14th minute.
Colombia dominated possession and created several chances to extend their lead. Luis Díaz squandered a clear opportunity before halftime, while Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi produced a series of impressive saves to keep his side in the contest.
The Black Stars struggled to trouble Colombia’s defence, failing to register a single shot on target throughout the match. Díaz had a second-half goal ruled out for offside, while Juan Quintero also went close as Colombia continued to press.
Despite their wastefulness in front of goal, Arias’ early finish proved enough to send Colombia into the knockout stage, where they will face Switzerland. Ghana exit the tournament after another disappointing attacking display.
Player Ratings
Colombia
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Vargas | 7.1 |
| Muñoz | 7.5 |
| Sánchez | 7.6 |
| Lucumí | 7.5 |
| Mojica | 7.3 |
| Puerta | 7.2 |
| Lerma | 6.7 |
| Arias | 8.6 |
| Rodríguez | 6.2 |
| Luis Díaz | 6.6 |
| Córdoba | N/A |
| Subs: | |
| Suárez | 7.4 |
| Ríos | 7.1 |
| Quintero | 6.7 |
| Campaz | N/A |
Ghana
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Ati-Zigi | 8.2 |
| Senaya | 6.2 |
| Luckassen | 6.8 |
| Opoku | 6.5 |
| Mensah | 7.4 |
| Partey | 6.4 |
| Yirenkyi | 6.1 |
| Sibo | 5.8 |
| Williams | 6.1 |
| Ayew | 6.0 |
| Semenyo | 6.3 |
| Subs: | |
| Seidu | 6.3 |
| Owusu | 6.0 |
| Fatawu | 6.0 |
| Nuamah | 6.2 |
| Adu | 5.5 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Colombia | Ghana |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 60.6% | 39.4% |
| Shots | 20 | 8 |
| Shots on Target | 8 | 0 |
| Big Chances Missed | 4 | 0 |
| Corners | 3 | 2 |
| Accurate Passes | 532 | 313 |
| Passing Accuracy | 90.8% | 83% |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
