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Uzbekistan and Colombia are set to conclude the first round of the 2026 World Cup group stage with their Group K clash. The match at the Estadio Azteca kicks off at 5:00 AM on Thursday.
Uzbekistan makes its tournament debut, notably led by Fabio Cannavaro, a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy. The legendary defender took charge after the qualifying campaign, where the Asian side finished second in their primary group, trailing Iran only on goal difference. This secured their direct qualification for the World Cup.
Colombia, a team with considerably more experience at this level, also had no issues securing their World Cup spot. "Los Cafeteros" finished third in the South American qualifiers with 28 points, a tally matched by three other teams, all of whom had an inferior goal difference. Head coach Néstor Lorenzo primarily relies on his attacking stars: James Rodríguez, Luis Díaz, and Luis Suárez.
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