Colombia and Portugal advance after no-bore draw

MIAMI: 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.

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.

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.

Colombia struggled to clear their lines cleanly sometimes, however, and it was this frailty that allowed Portugal their best chances towards the end of the first half.

Fernandes goes close for Portugal

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.

Colombia pressed forward looking for the goal their dominance deserved and both Gustavo Puerta and playmaker James Rodriguez troubled the goalkeeper with shots before the break.

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.

Arias curled a shot at goal that was well saved by Costa and Puerta drilled another chance wide just before the hydration break.

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.

Portugal’s 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.