Colombia defeated Ghana to grab the final ticket to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. With the win, the tournament's round-of-16 bracket was completed, and as teams that had been entangled in South Korea's knockout-stage race were eliminated one after another, fans have responded with talk of "the Hong Myung-bo curse."
Colombia beat Ghana 1-0 in the round-of-32 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup held at Kansas City Stadium in Missouri, the United States, on Thursday.
The victory sent Colombia back to the round of 16 for the first time in eight years since the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The team will face Switzerland at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada, on Sunday for a spot in the quarterfinals. Ghana, which reached the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, failed to clear the first knockout hurdle and ended its tournament.
With this result, all round-of-16 teams have been confirmed. From Europe, seven nations survived: France, Spain, England, Portugal, Belgium, Norway and Switzerland. From South America, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Colombia advanced. From North and Central America, Mexico, the United States and Canada survived, while from Africa, Morocco and Egypt advanced to the knockout stage. All Asian and Oceanian nations were eliminated.
In the early stages, both teams were hit by unexpected injuries. Colombia's forward John Cordoba was substituted due to injury in the eighth minute, and Ghana's defender Marvin Senaya also left the pitch in the 13th minute.
It was Colombia, having used its substitution card first, that instead seized the momentum. Luis Suarez, brought on for Cordoba, delivered an accurate cross from the right flank in the 14th minute, and John Arias shook off his marker before finishing with a right-footed strike to open the scoring.
Riding the momentum, Colombia continued to press. In first-half stoppage time, Johan Mojica's header was stopped by a save from Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi, and in the 56th minute, a goal by Luis Diaz was disallowed for offside.
No additional goals came, but it was enough to secure the win. Colombia maintained a stable defense throughout the match, allowing Ghana not a single shot on target, and held on to its 1-0 lead to the end to confirm its place in the round of 16.
Meanwhile, teams that had competed for third place with the South Korean national team, led by manager Hong Myung-bo, in the group stage were eliminated one after another in the knockout rounds. South Africa, which had beaten South Korea in the group stage to reach the round of 32, was eliminated after a 0-1 loss to Canada, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which had ended South Korea's chances of reaching the round of 32, also lost to England and finished its tournament. With Ghana joining Senegal and Japan on the list of eliminated teams, online reactions have continued to cite "the Hong Myung-bo curse."
