Diaz shines as Colombia beat Uzbekistan, Ghana edge Panama on late goal

Luis Diaz scored one goal and set up another as Colombia began its FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan early Thursday (Finnish time), reported Xinhua.

Daniel Munoz opened the scoring with an athletic volley but the Asian team equalized through Abbosbek Fayzullaev.

Diaz's clinical finish regained Colombia's advantage and Jaminton Campaz put the result beyond doubt with an injury-time header.

With much of the 80,000-strong crowd clad in Colombia's yellow shirt, the atmosphere at Mexico City Stadium felt more like Barranquilla than neutral ground, but the Cafeteros began nervously against Uzbekistan's five-man defense.

James Rodriguez played in an unfamiliar deeper role as he sought to create space for Diaz, Jhon Arias and Luis Suarez further forward.

Arias had one of the first clear chances but could only find the side-netting after clever work from Gustavo Puerta.

Colombia gradually settled into its rhythm as Uzbekistan struggled to cope with the interplay between James, Puerta and Arias, while Diaz repeatedly threatened with his runs down the left wing.

The Bayern Munich forward went close to opening the scoring just after the half-hour mark when he ran onto Arias' perfectly weighted pass before drilling a shot against the far post.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 40th minute. Diaz's lofted pass picked out Munoz, who timed his run perfectly before toe-poking an acrobatic volley beyond Utkir Yusupov.

Uzbekistan emerged from the break with renewed purpose as Fayzullaev and Otabek Shukurov began to exert greater influence in midfield.

The pressure paid off on the hour when Fayzullaev headed home Uzbekistan's first-ever World Cup goal from close range after Camilo Vargas failed to hold Eldor Shomurodov's tame volley.

But Uzbekistan's celebrations were short-lived. Shomurodov surrendered possession in midfield moments later, allowing Colombia to break forward through Diaz.

The former Liverpool winger cut inside onto his right foot and curled a shot that slipped through Yusupov's gloves and into the far corner to restore Colombia's lead.

Colombia continued to press in search of a two-goal cushion. Jefferson Lerma stabbed a shot just wide when he only had the goalkeeper to beat and Campaz shot over from the edge of the area.

Uzbekistan stepped up its intensity in the final minutes. Dostonbek Khamdamov saw his long-range effort turned behind for a corner before Akmal Mozgovoy sent a fizzing shot over the bar.

The South American side put the result beyond doubt in the ninth minute of stoppage time when Cucho Hernandez won possession in the right corner and crossed for Campaz, who headed home at the far post.

Ghana edge Panama on late goal in WC

Caleb Yirenkyi's 95th-minute goal earned Ghana a 1-0 victory over Panama in their FIFA World Cup Group L match at Toronto Stadium on Thursday morning (Finnish time), reported Xinhua.

Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante provided the assist for the winner, which came despite Panama enjoying 55 percent possession.

Ghana entered the game without three key players, including midfielder Thomas Partey, who was denied entry to Canada because of an ongoing case in Britain.

The African side was further depleted when starting goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi was forced to leave the game at halftime following heavy collisions in the first half. Substitute Benjamin Asare came on and kept a clean sheet.

Yirenkyi, who had been shown a yellow card in the 16th minute, became an unlikely hero in stoppage time.

It marked Ghana's first competitive victory under manager Carlos Queiroz, who was appointed just two months before the tournament.

Ghana, which sits second in the group, will face group leader England on June 23 in Boston, while Panama will take on Croatia in Toronto.