Manzambi brace: Switzerland thrash Bosnia and Herzegovina (4-1) at the SoFi
Manzambi struck twice and Xhaka added a penalty in Switzerland's emphatic 4-1 win over a ten-man Bosnia.
Switzerland produced an emphatic rout, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 in a 2026 World Cup Group B match that exploded in a frantic final quarter of an hour. Inglewood's SoFi Stadium in the USA, a futuristic 70,492-seat arena crowned by a spectacular translucent canopy, hosted the Swiss exhibition.
The game stayed level for well over an hour but erupted late on. In the 74th minute Johan Manzambi broke the deadlock, and Rubén Vargas doubled the lead in the 84th after a Breel Embolo assist. Stoppage time brought chaos: Manzambi completed his brace in the 90th from a Vargas pass, Ermin Mahmić pulled one back for Bosnia in that same minute, and Granit Xhaka rounded off the 4-1 from the penalty spot, also in the 90th.
The intensity cost Bosnia, who finished with ten men. Amar Dedić (59') and Edin Džeko (61') were booked, but the decisive blow was the straight red to Tarik Muharemović in the 80th minute, which left the Balkans short-handed at the worst possible time. For Switzerland, Nico Elvedi (65') was also cautioned.
Murat Yakin set up in a 4-3-1-2 with Gregor Kobel in goal, captain Granit Xhaka in midfield and Embolo and Dan Ndoye up front. Sergej Barbarez answered with a 4-4-2 for Bosnia, with Nikola Vasilj between the posts and veteran Edin Džeko leading the attack alongside Ermedin Demirović.
The resounding win catapults Switzerland to the top of Group B at this 48-team World Cup hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada, with a very favourable goal difference. Bosnia and Herzegovina, by contrast, suffer a heavy setback that seriously complicates their hopes of reaching the qualifying places.