Luis Diaz, seemingly chosen by destiny, scored two header goals in the second half and found redemption after receiving the harsh news of his father’s kidnapping and subsequent release just days ago.
Diaz was the hero for the Colombian national team helping secure a 2-1 victory over Brazil in the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
The game took place on Thursday night at the Roberto Melndez Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Gabriel Martinelli gave Brazil the lead
Only three minutes into the game, Arsenal midfielder Gabriel Martinelli combined brilliantly with Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. on the left wing, facing Atlas de Guadalajara’s goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.
The rest of the first half saw possession dominance by the five-time world champions, but they couldn’t generate another shot on target.
In contrast, the home team kept Alisson Becker busy, forcing him to intervene in five shots on goal.
New injury for Vinicius Jr.
Bad news struck for the ‘Canarinha’ and also for Real Madrid in the 27th minute when Vinicius Jr., already complaining of a quadriceps issue, had to be immediately substituted for Brighton’s promising Premier League player, Joao Pedro.
The second half continued with Brazil controlling possession, causing some trouble with their speed, but clear goal-scoring opportunities were lacking.
As a result, the match gradually moved towards a desired victory for Fernando Diniz’s team.
Luis Diaz’s two header goals
The most emotional moment of the evening occurred in the 75th minute.
In the same area where Brazil scored, English Watford midfielder Yser Asprilla delivered a beautiful cross into the box.
Liverpool’s striker, Luis Diaz, rose above everyone to explode the local fans with a header, celebrating a goal that meant even more after the emotional reunion with his father who had been kidnapped just days ago.
The height of Colombian excitement arrived in the 79th minute when Diaz scored again securing the victory for the local team.
Diaz completed his brace and sealed the comeback by winning another aerial duel after a cross by James Rodriguez.
How does the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifying table stand?
With this result, Colombia climbed to the third position in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada with 9 points, behind Uruguay (10 points) and Argentina (12 points).
Meanwhile, Brazil continues to decline, dropping to the fifth position with 7 points, below Venezuela’s 8 points, who had drawn a little earlier with Ecuador.