- Vinicius won an early penalty, converted by Raphinha, before sealing the win with a stunning stoppage-time goal
- Luis Diaz equalized for Colombia in the first half after a precise assist from James Rodriguez
- Brazil moved to second place with 21 points, six behind Argentina, while Colombia remains sixth with 19
Key Takeaways:
Brazil claimed a vital 2-1 home win against Colombia in the 13th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Vinicius Jr. won an early penalty, which Raphinha converted, and later secured the victory with a spectacular long-range strike. Luis Diaz scored Colombia’s only goal.
The victory lifted Selecao to 21 points, securing second place in the standings, six behind reigning world champions Argentina. Colombia, currently in sixth place with 19 points, remains four points ahead of Bolivia and seven clear of Venezuela.
VINICIUS SCORES FROM DISTANCE TO SURELY WIN IT FOR BRAZIL OVER COLOMBIA IN STOPPAGE TIME!!!
WHAT A GOAL 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/9vduuyEkbi
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 21, 2025
The match started in perfect fashion for Brazil. Vinicius Jr. was released down the right wing, dribbled into the box, and was brought down by Daniel Munoz, leading to a penalty. The Brazilians erupted in celebration even before the referee’s call, and their joy was justified as Raphinha coolly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner. Brazil suffered an early setback in the 28th minute when Gerson picked up an injury, forcing an early substitution, with Joelinton coming on in his place.
Colombia responded in the 41st minute. James Rodriguez delivered a precise through ball to Luis Diaz, who elegantly placed his shot into the bottom left corner past his Liverpool teammate Alisson to level the score at 1-1. Brazil endured another blow in the 78th minute when Alisson was forced off due to injury, with Bento replacing him in goal.
The decisive moment came in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Raphinha found Vinicius, who unleashed a stunning long-range strike past Vargas, sending the stadium into a frenzy — 2-1 for Brazil. Moments later, Vinicius was substituted for Léo Ortiz, marking Selecao’s seventh change of the match. However, since Gerson and Alisson were replaced due to head injuries, the substitutions were within the permitted limit.