Uzbekistan vs Colombia: World Cup Preview, Predictions & Betting Tips
16th June 2026
Colombia’s attack looks absolutely devastating on paper, but Uzbekistan won’t just roll over in their World Cup opener.
This is it. The big dance. Both sides kick off their World Cup Group G campaigns in what should be a cracking curtain-raiser, with Colombia heavy favourites but Uzbekistan more than capable of making life uncomfortable. Let’s dig into the data.
Match Context
Opening match for both sides, so it’s 0 points apiece. Colombia arrive as one of the tournament’s dark horses after a stellar run of form – 7 wins from their last 10, banging in 25 goals along the way. Uzbekistan‘s record reads W4 D3 L3 with 12 scored and 7 conceded. Decent, but a clear step down from what Los Cafeteros have been producing.
The full head-to-head breakdown is available on the Statz H2H page.
Predicted Lineups
Lineups are not yet confirmed for this one, so keep an eye on the Statz projections page for updates closer to kick-off.
Key Stats
The Statz team projections tell the story here. Colombia are projected for 1.70 goals, 6.35 SOT, and a whopping 15.75 shots. Uzbekistan sit at 0.70 goals, 2.84 SOT, and 8.24 shots. That’s a massive gap in attacking output.
Corners favour Colombia too (4.67 vs 3.66), while the foul count is tight – 12.27 for Colombia, 12.64 for Uzbekistan. With Anthony Taylor in the middle (20.48 fouls/game, 4.16 yellows/game across 31 matches), expect the whistle to be busy.
Players to Watch
Luis Diaz is the standout. Projected for 0.43 goals, 1.38 SOT, and 3.56 shots per game – he’s the most dangerous player on the pitch by some distance. If Uzbekistan leave space on the flanks, he’ll punish them.
Luis Suarez (0.51 goals, 1.19 SOT, 3.20 shots) leads the line with serious goal threat, while Eldor Shomurodov (0.21 goals, 0.45 SOT, 1.27 shots) is Uzbekistan’s best hope of nicking something. He’s their talisman and will need to be at his sharpest.
Abbosbek Fayzullaev is an interesting one for Uzbekistan – projected 1.98 tackles and 1.41 fouls per game. He’ll be busy in transition.
Bet Builder
Four legs here, all grounded in the data from the Statz bet builder tool. Combined price: 1.79.
- Eldor Shomurodov 1+ Shots – Hit rate: 100% (L5: 5/5). Uzbekistan’s main man always gets his shot off.
- Jaminton Campaz 1+ Shots – Hit rate: 100% (L5: 5/5). Another perfect recent record. Colombia will dominate possession and he’ll find opportunities.
- Cucho Hernandez 1+ SOT – Hit rate: 80% (L5: 4/5). Cucho has been finding the target consistently. At this price, it’s a no-brainer inclusion.
- Luis Suarez 1+ SOT – Hit rate: 80% (L5: 4/5). Suarez lives in the box and tests keepers. Four from five recently backs it up.
Back this Bet Builder at bet365
The Angle
Colombia should control this. The projections gap is significant – nearly a full goal advantage and more than double the SOT output. Uzbekistan will be physical and competitive (expect fouls with Taylor officiating), but the quality difference is stark. The bet builder at 1.79 looks solid value – all four legs have strong recent form and the combined hit rate backs it up. Colombia to win and these player props to land feels like the right play for matchday one.
Explore the full World Cup competition page for more fixtures and data.