Colombia see off Ghana to set up clash with Swiss
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- Jhon Arias scored in the 14th minute off a cross from substitute Luis Suárez, giving Colombia a 1-0 win over Ghana and a place in the round of 16
- Colombia will face Switzerland on Tuesday in Vancouver, British Columbia, for a quarterfinal spot — only their second-ever World Cup knockout-stage win and first since 2014
- Ghana failed to register a single shot on goal as Colombia posted their third straight shutout, with goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi making seven saves to keep the margin at one
- Luis Díaz had a 56th-minute goal ruled out for offside and later saw a point-blank shot saved by Zigi as Colombia pushed but couldn't extend
- James Rodríguez made his 10th World Cup start, tying Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincón for the most among Colombian players in the tournament, but exited at halftime
- The match kicked off in 88°F heat (96°F heat index) at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, where the entire bowl was awash in Colombian yellow hours before kickoff
Why it matters: Colombia's third consecutive clean sheet — and the fact that Ghana never tested the keeper — signals defensive solidity that few expected heading into the knockout rounds. With Spain coach Luis de la Fuente publicly calling Los Cafeteros 'a candidate to win the World Cup' and a manageable Switzerland matchup next, the Vancouver result could redefine how far this Colombia side goes.
