Igor Sergeyev shares thoughts after defeat against Colombia
The group stage matches of the 2026 World Cup on North American pitches are the center of attention for millions of our compatriots. In the 1st round of Group K, the Uzbekistan national team faced Colombia, a strong representative of South America, and suffered a 1:3 defeat.
Although luck did not smile upon our representatives in this historic debut match, our players put up a worthy fight until the end. After the match, the experienced striker of the national team, Igor Sergeyev, shared his impressions of the lost game and the missed opportunities.
You can find the detailed thoughts of our experienced forward and the official situation in Group K after the 1st round in the analytical sports table below:
Player and playing time | Honest thoughts on the defeated match | Group K standings after Round 1 |
• Igor Sergeyev (entered in the 90th minute for Eldor Shomurodov) | • There was an opportunity to at least secure a draw. • We conceded awkward goals due to our own mistakes. • We will continue to strive and work moving forward. | • 1. Colombia — 3 points • 2. Portugal — 1 point • 3. DR Congo — 1 point • 4. Uzbekistan — 0 points |
"We had the opportunity to at least secure a draw"
Just before the end of the main match time, in the 90th minute, Igor Sergeyev, who came on as a substitute for team captain Eldor Shomurodov, said the following in an interview with journalists after the game:
"I must admit, this result was very painful for all of us. Colombia is indeed a very strong team with great international experience. Nevertheless, in today's match, we had sufficient opportunities to at least keep a draw and earn a point. Unfortunately, as a result of our own mistakes, we conceded awkward and unexpected goals. Perhaps this was due to a lack of international experience in such a prestigious tournament, I honestly don't know. But in general, we fought very worthily against the opponent. I can say our first game was a bit unlucky. Now we will only move forward and continue to work even harder in training."
The situation in Group K and the two tests ahead
Following the first round of matches, the situation in the group has become somewhat complicated. The Uzbekistan national team, which has not yet collected any points, currently occupies fourth place based on goal difference. While Colombia, with 3 points, has become the clear leader, Portugal and DR Congo, who played to a draw in the first round, each have one point.
However, the good news is that our representatives still have two more opportunities to rectify the situation and secure a place in the play-offs. Within the 2026 World Cup group stage, the "White Wolves" led by Fabio Cannavaro will play their next matches as follows:
On June 23 a life-and-death battle against the Portugal national team, one of the world's giants;
On June 28 the decisive match against the final opponent in the group — the DR Congo national team.
Final conclusion from Zamin sports commentators:
The truth is embodied in Igor Sergeyev's passionate words — our guys played brave football without fear against a strong team like Colombia. Having drawn the right conclusions from our mistakes, our fans have no doubt that Fabio Cannavaro's pupils will show their true strength in the match against Portugal this Tuesday. We believe in you, Uzbekistan!
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