An early strike from Jhon Arias propelled Colombia to a 1-0 victory over Ghana in their round of 32 match at Kansas City on Friday, securing their place in the FIFA World Cup round of 16. Colombia, quarterfinalists in the 2014 edition, will now face Switzerland on July 8.
Colombia Dominates Possession and Shots
Colombia controlled the match with over 60% ball possession and registered 19 touches in Ghana's penalty area compared to Ghana's eight. The South Americans also outshot Ghana 20 to 8, with Ghana failing to record a single shot on target.
Arias Strikes Early
Luis Suarez replaced the injured Jhon Cordoba in the eighth minute, beating multiple defenders down the right wing. Arias then finished from close range into the bottom corner to give Colombia the lead. Despite further chances for both sides, the first half ended 1-0 in Colombia's favor, with the team enjoying 66% possession and eight touches inside Ghana's box.
Disallowed Goal and Ghana's Exit
In the 57th minute, Luis Diaz found the net for what would have been a second Colombian goal, but it was ruled out for offside. Ghana, under coach Carlos Queiroz, introduced substitutions but could not breach Colombia's solid defense. Ghana's exit in the round of 32 means they have yet to match their best-ever finish of a quarterfinal appearance in 2010.
