Luis Diaz starred as Colombia returned to the FIFA World Cup with a convincing win over tournament debutants Uzbekistan. The Liverpool winger scored one goal and set up another, leading his team to a 2-0 victory in their opening match.
Colombia controlled the game from the start, with Diaz's pace and creativity proving too much for the Uzbek defense. He opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a clinical finish after a swift counter-attack. Early in the second half, Diaz turned provider, delivering a pinpoint cross for his teammate to double the lead.
Uzbekistan struggled to create clear chances against a well-organized Colombian backline, and the debutants will need to regroup ahead of their next group stage fixture.
Colombia's performance sends a strong message to their rivals, as they aim to build on their historic run to the semi-finals in 2014.