For 90 minutes, a Barranquilla-like atmosphere took over both inside and outside Estadio Guadalajara, which, in its third FIFA World Cup 2026™ match, made Colombia feel right at home as they edged DR Congo by the narrowest of margins.

Although heavy rain battered the western side of the Pearl of the West a few hours before kickoff, it didn’t stop fans from heading to the stadium, many of whom even welcomed the chance to cool off from Guadalajara’s summer heat. Shortly before 6 p.m., a rainbow framed the scene around Estadio Guadalajara, setting the tone for a full-on Colombian rumba, with the great vibes and festive atmosphere spilling through the Last Mile and Fan Zone.

Among the sea of yellow making its way into the stadium, one figure stood out: Lumumba Vea. Dressed in a red suit and yellow shirt, he took his place behind the DR Congo bench and remained standing the entire match, completely motionless as he encouraged the Congolese side in his own very unique way.

The game got off to a frantic start, with Colombia pushing forward with real intensity and vertical attacking play, backed by a support that at times was deafening. However, goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was DR Congo’s hero in the opening 25 minutes, flying across goal to deny Daniel Muñoz on a couple of occasions, as well as keeping out long-range efforts from James Rodríguez and ‘Lucho’ Díaz.

Time turned into DR Congo’s best ally as they gradually settled into the game and, after the hydration break, managed to contain their opponents and even matched possession at times.

The long-awaited eruption inside Estadio Guadalajara finally came in the second half, when Daniel Muñoz once again popped up in the box, smashing a loose ball home in the 75th minute to release all the tension that had been building among Colombian fans.

Colombia then threw everything forward, riding the momentum in search of a second goal to seal it. They thought they had it twice through ‘Lucho’ Díaz, but VAR ruled both goals out for offside.

In the closing stages, Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas was called into action, producing his first and only two key saves of the night to deny DR Congo an equaliser and help seal Colombia’s second win of the FIFA World Cup 2026™.