Switzerland has reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time since 1954, edging past a stubborn Colombia side on penalties after a tense, goalless 120 minutes at BC Place in Vancouver. The last-16 tie, one of the standout fixtures of this year’s World Cup knockout round, was settled only after Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel produced a crucial save to deny Cucho Hernandez, sending manager Murat Yakin’s team through to face defending champions Argentina.
Neither side found a breakthrough in normal time, with both defenses standing firm against increasingly desperate attacks as extra time wore on. Colombia pushed hard for a winner that would have avoided the lottery of a shootout, but Switzerland held their shape and forced the match to penalties, where their World Cup history had not been kind to them in the past.
The shootout itself was filled with drama. Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji missed his effort, as did Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez, keeping the tension alive deep into the sequence. It was substitute Ruben Vargas who eventually stepped up to convert the decisive spot kick, sparking wild celebrations among the Swiss players and staff after Kobel’s save moments earlier had tilted the shootout in their favor.
Speaking after the match, Yakin said the win finally broke what he described as his country’s penalty curse, admitting the emotions in the moment were almost impossible to put into words. He praised his squad’s patience and cleverness across the 120 minutes and singled out Kobel for a standout tournament performance in goal. It is only the second time Switzerland has gone to penalties at a World Cup, having lost its previous shootout against Ukraine in 2006. This result also ends a poor recent record in shootouts across all competitions, with their only other success in nearly two decades coming against France at Euro 2020.
Akanji, reflecting on his own missed penalty, admitted he changed his mind about his technique at the last second and paid the price, sending the ball well over the crossbar. He said it would be the last penalty he ever takes for the national team, while praising his teammates for the way they regrouped afterward. He conceded Switzerland were not at their offensive best on the night, particularly going forward, but said the team’s compactness and discipline carried them through.
The victory means Switzerland has now reached the last eight of a World Cup for the third time in their past four major tournaments, having fallen short only at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when they were eliminated in the round of 16. It is a remarkable turnaround for a squad that has often been written off in previous tournaments, and it sets up a heavyweight quarterfinal clash against Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Captain Granit Xhaka called the achievement a great reward for the team’s work throughout the World Cup, but insisted the players are already looking ahead, with their hunger for further success growing rather than fading now that the first goal has been reached. He acknowledged the size of the task awaiting them against Lionel Messi and the reigning champions, describing it as the biggest challenge of the tournament so far.
For Colombia, the exit will sting given how close they came to forcing a way through in normal and extra time. Their run through this World Cup had raised expectations of a deep tournament run, but they now join the growing list of sides eliminated at the last-16 stage on penalties, a heartbreaking way to bow out of one of the most competitive World Cup tournaments in recent memory.
Attention now turns to Kansas City, where Switzerland’s newfound penalty resilience will be tested again in spirit if not in practice, as they attempt to continue their surprise run and reach a World Cup semifinal for the first time in the country’s history.
