Fabio Cannavaro Sets Uzbekistan Vs Colombia at 8pm Local Time
Uzbekistan vs Colombia kicked off at 8pm local time in World Cup 2026 action, with Fabio Cannavaro keeping Uzbekistan in a 3-4-3 and Colombia lining up in a 4-2-3-1. The match brought together a Colombia side built around James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz and an Uzbekistan team led by Abdukodir Khusanov, its first player to appear in the Champions League, Premier League or Ligue 1.
Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan Setup
Cannavaro kept Uzbekistan compact in the 3-4-3, leaning on a group he described as hard to break. He said, “Uzbeks are tough: people who fight, who never give up,” and added, “Playing against them is a pain in the arse.”
He also pointed back to the Uruguay match, saying, “We played Uruguay: we had nine injured players, they weren’t at their best, but my players are tough.” Uzbekistan lost that game 2-1, a margin that matched the coach’s view of a team that stays in matches even when the result does not go its way.
Khusanov and Colombia’s Core
Khusanov arrived in the fixture as Uzbekistan’s most recognisable player after reaching Manchester City and winning the FA Cup and League Cup in the season referenced. At 17, he went to Energetik-BGU Minsk in Belarus and could only train because foreign players were not allowed to play competitively until age 18. In 2023, he won the Under-20 Asian Cup with Uzbekistan and earned his first senior cap, then moved on to City within 18 months.
Colombia answered with a familiar attacking shape and a starting XI of Vargas, Munoz, Sanchez, Lucumi, Mojica, Puerta, Lerma, Arias, Rodriguez, Diaz and Suarez. Rodríguez remained central in the 4-2-3-1, while Díaz had become a source of goals in the attack. That gave Colombia a front end with experience and end product, the same blend that has carried players remembered from the 2014 and 2018 World Cup finals tournaments into this cycle.
Uzbekistan’s Recent Test
Uzbekistan entered the match after a mixed run that included qualification behind Iran, a 2-1 loss to Uruguay, wins over Gabon and Egypt, and warm-up defeats to Canada and the Netherlands. Against the Netherlands, Uzbekistan equalised before Cody Gakpo scored twice from penalties and then struck the winner in the 99th minute. Those results left Cannavaro’s side tested against different styles before Colombia arrived at 8pm local time.
The starting lineups underlined the contrast between the two teams. Uzbekistan began with Yusupov, Abdullaev, Ashurmatov, Khusanov, Nasrullaev, Shukurov, Mozgovoy, Karimov and Fayzulla, while Colombia’s 4-2-3-1 kept Rodríguez and Díaz in the key attacking channels. For Uzbekistan, the practical measure was simple: stay organised in the 3-4-3 and use Khusanov’s profile to handle a Colombia side built around established names.
