Switzerland has secured the final ticket to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Colombia at the BC Place in Vancouver, Canada. Following a tense and physically demanding 120 minutes of football that ended in a 0-0 stalemate, the Swiss side emerged victorious with a 4-3 win on penalties. Ruben Vargas converted the decisive spot-kick to send the Swiss team through, ending Colombia's tournament run in agonizing fashion.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The match was heavily contested from the opening whistle under the supervision of Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton. Colombia enjoyed strong vocal support from a majority of the crowd in the stadium, creating a lively atmosphere. Both teams struggled to generate clear-cut opportunities during regular time. According to post-match statistics, the encounter registered a combined total of just 0.7 Expected Goals (xG), marking the lowest recording during regulation time for any match in this edition of the 2026 World Cup.
Injuries played a significant role prior to kickoff for Murat Yakin's side. Switzerland had to cope without their 20-year-old top scorer Johan Manzambi, who was ruled out due to a knee injury. Ruben Vargas, also lacking full fitness, began the match on the bench. Despite these notable absences, the Swiss starting lineup featuring Gregor Kobel, Manuel Akanji, and Granit Xhaka managed to neutralize the Colombian attacking trio of Luis Diaz, Luis Suarez, and James Rodriguez.
Opportunities were sparse throughout the 90 minutes and subsequent extra time. Colombia came closest when Jhon Lucumi powered a header against the crossbar from a corner. Meanwhile, Switzerland found it difficult to break through Néstor Lorenzo's defensive setup. Both sides traded late substitutions to refresh their tired squads, including the introduction of Yerry Mina for an injured Lucumi, but neither team could break the deadlock before the final whistle.
From editorial monitoring, the penalty shootout quickly intensified when Davinson Sanchez saw his powerful effort hit the crossbar, handing Switzerland an early advantage. Although Swiss defender Manuel Akanji later fired his shot well over the target to level the playing field, Gregor Kobel proved crucial by denying Cucho Hernandez. Ruben Vargas then stepped up to calmly convert his right-footed strike, sealing the qualification for the European nation.
Based on the tournament bracket, Switzerland will face the reigning world champions Argentina in the quarter-finals on Sunday, July 12. The Albiceleste booked their place in the next round after successfully overturning a 2-0 deficit against Egypt to secure a 3-2 victory. The Swiss national team reaches the quarter-final stage of a World Cup for the first time since 1954.