Switzerland are through to the World Cup quarterfinals after surviving a nerve-jangling shootout, edging Colombia 4-3 on penalties following a scoreless 120 minutes at BC Place in Vancouver on Tuesday. Ruben Vargas buried the decisive spot kick and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel delivered clutch saves in the tiebreaker, sending the Swiss on to Kansas City to face defending champions Argentina in the last eight.
Penalty Shootout Ended The Stalemate
What started tense quickly turned dramatic from the spot. Juan Fernando Quintero scored first for Colombia and Granit Xhaka answered for Switzerland. Davinson Sánchez then smacked his effort off the crossbar, allowing Zeki Amdouni to put the Swiss in front. Jaminton Campaz converted Colombia’s third attempt, only for Manuel Akanji to send his kick over the bar. Cedric Itten nudged Switzerland back ahead, Luis Díaz kept Colombia alive, and then Vargas stepped up to drill home the fifth Swiss penalty and seal it, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Kobel Was The Difference
In a match crying out for a hero, Kobel answered. The Swiss keeper guessed right to stop Juan Hernández’s low effort in the shootout, then got down again to palm away a strike from Cucho Hernández, keeping Switzerland’s bid alive at the toughest moments. The Guardian noted that Kobel’s sharp reflexes and calm under pressure were central to Switzerland’s escape.
Few Chances, Big Moments
The drama mostly waited until the end. Across 90 minutes, Switzerland produced just 0.29 expected goals and Colombia 0.42, making it one of the lowest xG World Cup matches on record. FotMob’s numbers only nudged Colombia up to 1.03 after Campaz’s late one-on-one chance flew over the bar, per NBC 7 San Diego. With neither attack really clicking, penalties always felt like the looming decider for the right to meet Argentina.
What It Means
The win sends Switzerland into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954, a landmark for a team that has so often gone out in the round of 16. Colombia, whose best World Cup run came in 2014, head home thinking about the chances that slipped away. The Guardian highlighted the historical weight of the result for both sides.
Up Next: Messi And Argentina
Switzerland now turn their focus to Argentina at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday, where the defending champions will be strong favorites and the Swiss will look to lean on their defensive organization and Kobel’s form, according to Sportsnet. For Argentina, who beat Egypt earlier the same day, the matchup offers Lionel Messi another chance to steer a title defense.
Colombia leave lamenting Campaz’s late miss and the twists of the shootout that tilted toward Switzerland. The Swiss, meanwhile, can savor a rare knockout-stage victory and a shot at the reigning champions on U.S. soil next weekend.
