Colombia, Portugal make last 32 stage after goalless draw

Colombia topped Group K after a goalless draw with Portugal, who secured second place; both teams advanced to the last 32 stage of the World Cup.

Key Points

Colombia and Portugal played a 0-0 draw in their final World Cup Group K match.
Colombia topped Group K with seven points, advancing to face Ghana in the last 32.
Portugal secured second place with five points, setting up a clash with Croatia.
Both teams demonstrated strong defensive play and attacking intent despite the goalless result.
Key moments included a Bruno Fernandes save and a disallowed Davinson Sanchez goal.

Colombia and Portugal played out a breathless 0-0 draw that was anything but dull to a wall of sound at Miami Stadium on Saturday, with both teams advancing to the last 32 of the World Cup as the top two in Group K.

The Colombians will rue their profligacy in front of goal but take encouragement from dominating quality European opposition for large periods as they head off to Kansas City as group winners to take on Ghana on Friday..

"We played a great game against a tough opponent," said Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez.

"I always say that when we play against opponents who let us play, we feel more comfortable. We played well, we just lacked the goal."

Cristiano Ronaldo Booed

Portugal, who needed to win to top the group, go north to Toronto to play Croatia on Thursday knowing they have not quite yet found a way to blend all the talent in their squad into an effective team.

Their totem Cristiano Ronaldo, booed every time he touched the ball and starved of service, had barely a sniff of a chance, his one shot on target a long-range free kick that went straight to the goalkeeper.

"We needed to win, but we have to respect Colombia -- they're a top-tier team," said Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.

"This match really helps us to make adjustments and alignments, and be better prepared for what we have to do in this World Cup moving forward, which will be a completely different tournament."

The match started to a cacophony of noise from the massed ranks of yellow-shirted South Americans and the decibel levels went up a notch when striker Jhon Cordoba headed the ball over the bar in the first minute.

Jhon Arias caused Portugal problems every time he ran at them and he set Cordoba free in the 17th minute, the big target man unleashing a rocket of a shot that keeper Diogo Costa did well to stop.

After a lovely flowing move five minutes later, winger Arias took the shot himself and screwed the ball towards the far corner of the net only for Ruben Neves to arrive just in time to flick it off the line.

Fernandes Goes Close for Portugal

Portugal's Bruno Fernandes found himself free in front of goal in the 39th minute, his shot bringing a fine point-blank save out of Camilo Vargas in the Colombia goal.

Three minutes before halftime, Joao Felix cleverly chested the ball over a defender and flashed an acrobatic volley over the bar.

Portugal attacked more after the break but it was Colombia who continued to carve out the best chances with Arias setting up substitute Richard Rios for a shot that went wide.

A Rodriguez volley was deflected away from its target in the 73rd minute just before he and Arias were substituted but Colombia continued to tear forward at every opportunity.

Davinson Sanchez thought he had scored the winner with a far post header a minute from time but it was called back for a very tight offside after a VAR check.

Rafael Leao went close to winning it for Portugal in stoppage time with a shot that flashed across goal before the referee finally called time on the entertaining match played out in front of a crowd of 64,478 sweltering in the Miami evening heat.

"Facing an opponent like that, with this style of football, our fans and this heat - it felt like we were in Barranquilla," Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo said.