Davinson Sánchez gazed skyward while Cucho Hernández slowly made his way back to his teammates. As the final whistle blew, the rest of the Colombian squad lay on the ground in despair, while Switzerland celebrated triumphantly, surrounded by a sea of yellow. The Swiss team emerged victorious in a tense penalty shootout, winning 4-3, concluding over two hours of cautious and uneventful football in the Round of 16.
This marks Switzerland’s first advancement to the quarter-finals since 1954, the year when the knockout stage began at a tournament hosted in Switzerland that featured just 16 teams. Their next challenge will be formidable as they prepare to face Lionel Messi and Argentina in Kansas City in four days.
The match resembled a strategic chess game more than a traditional football encounter, with both teams probing for vulnerabilities for over 120 minutes. Possession was evenly distributed, and midfield control oscillated between the two sides, but neither could find the decisive goal. Although the match lacked excitement, the conclusion was filled with drama.
Switzerland could have benefited from Johan Manzambi, their breakout star and leading scorer, who was sidelined due to a knee injury sustained during training. Colombia continued to rely on the attacking prowess of James Rodríguez.
The iconic roof of BC Place remained closed on a warm, sunny day in British Columbia, where the air conditioning struggled to keep up with the humidity. The atmosphere was thick as the final match at this venue and in Canada unfolded, marking the end of the co-host nation’s participation in the tournament.
The weather did not dampen the spirits of the lively crowd, with a clear majority of the 52,497 attendees clad in bright Colombian yellow, singing and jeering whenever their team lost possession. While it wasn’t quite Barranquilla, it was a remarkable display of support so far from home.
Colombia’s counter-attack bore fruit in the 21st minute. Rodríguez’s first touch in midfield was less than ideal, triggering a scramble that Jefferson Lerma capitalized on. The Crystal Palace player pushed the ball forward, eventually reaching Gustavo Puerta at the edge of the box. Puerta’s curling shot seemed destined for the top corner, but an impressive flying save from Gregor Kobel denied him.
Switzerland had a significant opportunity nine minutes later. Daniel Muñoz’s clearance attempt from his own penalty area was intercepted by Dan Ndoye, falling to Fabian Rieder, who rushed in on goal. Rieder’s shot was met with a fine save from Camilo Vargas, who later had to make another excellent diving stop to deny Ndoye.
Switzerland introduced Djibril Sow at half-time, replacing Ardon Jashari. The substitute nearly made an immediate impact, sending a shot over the bar from an Ndoye cross just minutes into the second half.
Colombia squandered another crucial chance in the 63rd minute when a loose pass left Granit Xhaka exposed, allowing Luis Suárez to steal the ball. With a clear shot on goal, the striker misfired, sending the ball high and wide. The crowd reacted first with frustration and then erupted in encouragement, signaling a much-needed revival.
Colombia appeared more dynamic following Rodríguez’s substitution for Juan Quintero in the 66th minute, who received a standing ovation as he left the field. Despite a more lively attacking front and increased momentum as the match approached the final whistle, Colombia continued to struggle with their finishing. Through balls missed their target by mere inches, players were caught offside, and swift breakaways were thwarted by a solid Swiss defense. This led to extra time.
During extra time, Colombia was denied a penalty in the 93rd minute when substitute Jaminton Campaz was tripped by Miro Muheim after making contact in the box. Five minutes later, agony struck for Colombia as Jhon Lucumí’s header from Quintero’s precise corner kick hit the crossbar. Shortly thereafter, an audacious long-range attempt from Campaz forced another impressive save from Kobel.
The Swiss team had their own nail-biting moment when Zeki Amdouni, who had just entered the match, seized a loose ball in the box but was met with a quality save from Vargas, diving to his left.
Then, one began to wonder if a curse had befallen the Swiss goal, as a wide-open Campaz shot over the bar from just 10 yards out in the 116th minute. Unfortunately for Colombia, the curse remained unbroken.
- World Cup 2026
- Switzerland
- Colombia
- World Cup
- match reports
