Jhon Arias’ first-half goal was decisive as Colombia beat Ghana 1-0 on Friday night to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, where they will face Switzerland in the quarterfinals.The South American team dominated early despite suffering injuries in the opening minutes. Forward Jhon Córdoba was forced off with an apparent groin problem, prompting head coach Néstor Lorenzo to inform Sporting CP’s Luis Suárez. The infusion provided immediate benefits.In the 14th minute, Daniel Muñoz brought down Suárez, and the player delivered a dangerous cross into the box. Arias timed it well, steering the ball past Ghana’s Lawrence Ati Zigi to give Colombia the only goal of the tournament.Colombia continued to dominate proceedings after a successful performance and almost extended their lead. Luis DÃaz thought he had extended the lead midway through the second half, but the offside flag denied him. The winner was later denied by a superb save from Ati Zigi, who ended the game with seven saves to keep Ghana at bay.Played in oppressive conditions at Arrowhead Stadium, where temperatures reached 31.1 degrees Celsius and 96 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff, the game tested both teams physically. Hydration breaks were important as several players struggled with cramping and signs of dehydration throughout the night.Colombia went into the knockout stage on a high after going through the group stage with wins over Uzbekistan and Congo, along with Portugal, where they scored a single goal. Their performances have already attracted the praise of Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente, who described Los Cafeteros as contenders for the World Cup title.The Colombian fans turned the event into a home affair, filling the stadium with yellow long before kick-off.Ghana, who exceeded expectations by exiting a tough group featuring England and Croatia after missing out on last year’s Africa Cup of Nations, struggled to create meaningful opportunities. Colombia’s solid defense and quick turnovers frustrated the Black Stars time and time again, forcing them to score three attempts on goal, none of which required a save from the Colombian midfielder.The win keeps Colombia’s impressive World Cup campaign going as it prepares for a last 16 clash with Switzerland on Tuesday.