Daniel Muñoz thought he had broken the deadlock inside six minutes. The Colombian right-back, already on the scoresheet in the opening win over Uzbekistan, rose to head home at the Estadio Akron, only for the VAR to intervene and confirm an offside in the build-up. Moments earlier, his low drive had cannoned back off the left post. By the tenth minute, James Rodríguez forced a sharp save from Lionel Mpasi with a long-range effort, but the Congolese goalkeeper gathered cleanly. After a quarter of an hour, the scoreboard in Guadalajara still read 0–0, despite Colombia’s territorial control.

Néstor Lorenzo kept faith with the same eleven that dispatched Uzbekistan 3–1, lining up in a 4-2-3-1 shape with Luis Javier Suárez leading the line and Luis Díaz providing width. The Congolese, under Frenchman Sébastien Desabre, deployed a compact 5-3-2, anchored by Chancel Mbemba and Axel Tuanzebe, and looked to release Yoane Wissa — the scorer against Portugal — and Cédric Bakambu on the break. The early pattern confirmed pre-match warnings from Davinson Sánchez, who had stressed the need to guard against Congo’s rapid transitions, a threat that had already earned the Leopards a surprise 1–1 draw with Portugal.

The group arithmetic added weight to every early chance. Earlier on Tuesday, Portugal dismantled Uzbekistan 5–0 in Houston, moving to four points and leaving Colombia (three points) and DR Congo (one point) with little margin for error. A Colombian victory would secure a place in the round of 32 with a match to spare; a Congolese win would lift them level with Portugal and turn the final round of fixtures into a three-way scramble. Lorenzo had urged calm, warning that “tension does not help you,” while Desabre, whose squad returned to the World Cup after a 52-year absence, spoke boldly of taking risks and chasing a result.

Viewed from South America, the early near-misses reinforced Colombia’s status as favourites, yet the Congolese defensive block — built around Premier League and Ligue 1 regulars — held its shape. European analysts noted that Congo’s physical profile, with an average height matching Colombia’s 1.80 metres, nullified any aerial advantage. The disallowed goal, while frustrating for the large Colombian contingent in the stands, did not alter Lorenzo’s game plan: sustained possession, quick circulation, and probing runs from Díaz and Arias.

As the first half unfolded without a breakthrough, the contest remained on a knife-edge. A single goal would be enough to tilt the group decisively, and both benches knew it. The next concrete consequence would be written into the standings at the final whistle: either Colombia would join Portugal in the knockout places, or the group would stay open for a final-day reckoning in Miami.