Daniel Munoz scored the decisive goal as Colombia defeated DR Congo 1-0 in Group K on Tuesday, becoming one of the first teams to secure qualification for the World Cup Round of 32.

The victory followed Colombia’s opening 3-1 win over Uzbekistan and lifted the South American side to six points from two matches, guaranteeing progression ahead of their final group fixture against Portugal.

Colombia controlled much of the contest and created numerous opportunities throughout the match, but was repeatedly frustrated by DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who delivered an impressive performance between the posts.

James Rodriguez, making his 10th World Cup appearance and drawing level with Freddy Rincon and Carlos Valderrama for the most World Cup appearances by a Colombian player, tested Mpasi early with a powerful effort. The goalkeeper also denied chances from Jhon Arias and Luis Diaz during a dominant first-half display by Colombia.

Diaz came close to opening the scoring in the 18th minute after bringing down a chipped pass inside the penalty area and turning sharply before seeing his shot saved. By halftime, Colombia had registered 15 attempts, with six efforts on target.

DR Congo, which earned a 1-1 draw against Portugal in their opening match, produced occasional attacking threats through Edo Kayembe, Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa but struggled to convert opportunities into clear chances.

Colombia continued to push forward after the break. Diaz forced another save from Mpasi early in the second half, while Arias was unable to convert the rebound.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 76th minute. Munoz found space inside the penalty area and finished calmly to give Colombia the lead.

Diaz later thought he had added a second goal, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

The result ensured Colombia's place in the knockout rounds. At the same time, DR Congo remained on one point and will need a positive result against Uzbekistan in their final group match to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Earlier in the day, Portugal defeated Uzbekistan 5-0, a result that further confirmed Colombia's advancement to the next stage of the tournament.