Switzerland end 72-year wait for World Cup quarterfinals; set up Argentina clash
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Switzerland end 72-year wait for World Cup quarterfinals; set up Argentina clash")
Switzerland end 72-year wait for World Cup quarterfinals; set up Argentina clash Photograph: (X)
Switzerland ended a 72-year wait for a World Cup quarterfinal spot, beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties. They next face Argentina, who staged a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Egypt.
Switzerland has ended a 72-year wait for a spot in the quarterfinals of a FIFA World Cup after they beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in regular time. Switzerland will now face the defending world champions, Argentina, in the Last 8 in Kansas City.
This last Round of 16 match, played outside the US, saw the two teams remain goalless until penalties separated them. Both teams missed spot-kicks before Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel brilliantly saved Cucho Hernandez's effort, and Ruben Vargas scored the decisive penalty.
Backed by thousands of fans at BC Stadium in Vancouver, Colombia, which conceded just once in their previous four outings, made the Swiss work hard to breach their defence. Although the European side failed to do so in regular time, they had the better of Colombia in the shoot-out, keeping composed and precise with their strikes.
The first action of the evening came in the 21st minute when Kobel was forced into a flying save to keep out Gustavo Puerta's curling effort from the edge of the penalty area. The Swiss stepped up a gear immediately after the first hydration break, with Camilo Vargas beating away a shot from Fabian Rieder before denying Dan Ndoye. But, despite all efforts, the match was goalless at half-time, with two well-matched teams struggling for inspiration.
Switzerland started the second half on the front foot, but Colombia also had their moments, with Luis Suárez lashing wastefully wide.
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Both coaches made multiple changes in the second half but again struggled to create meaningful openings, with Colombia's star winger Luis Diaz kept quiet.
Later, Ndoye flashed a shot across the goal in stoppage time, but nobody was able to get on the end of it, and the match was 0-0 at the end of normal time.
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Switzerland end 72-year wait for World Cup quarterfinals; set up Argentina clash Photograph: (X)
The game belatedly burst into life in the first period of extra time.
Colombia defender Jhon Lucumi headed against the bar from a corner in the ninth minute, and Kobel kept out a fierce effort from Jaminton Campaz as the South Americans upped the tempo.
At the other end, Vargas dived to his left to beat away an effort from substitute Zeki Amdouni.
Campaz missed a glorious chance to win the game with five minutes remaining on the clock. With nothing to separate the teams, the game went to penalties, where the Swiss edged past the South American giants.
Argentina shock Egypt, footballing world with comeback win
Earlier, Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 in the match of the tournament so far. Trailing 0-2 with close to 20 minutes left, Egypt was sitting in the driver’s seat, only for Lionel Messi to break the deadlock with an assist and a goal to make it 2-2.
Several controversial decisions marred this pulsating contest, which ended with Argentina finding the back of the net with Enzo Fernández’s header in the 91st minute to come from behind and win the match.
