Switzerland knock Colombia out on penalties (0-0, 4-3) to set up a quarter-final with Argentina
Not even extra time could break the deadlock. At Vancouver's BC Place, Switzerland and Colombia played out a tight round-of-16 tie (0-0) that was settled in the penalty lottery, where the Swiss held their nerve to win 4-3. Davinson Sánchez and Hernández missed the decisive kicks for a Colombia side that had shaded the game (51% possession, 5 shots), while Xhaka, Amdouni, Itten and Vargas were flawless from twelve yards. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, a wall in the shootout, was named MVP. Switzerland will face Argentina in the quarter-finals.
There were ninety minutes, a full period of extra time, and not a single goal. The round-of-16 tie between Switzerland and Colombia at Vancouver's BC Place was a tense game of chess, with barely a clear chance, that stretched all the way to the penalty shootout. And there, in the lottery, Switzerland were the cooler side and prevailed 4-3 to reach the quarter-finals, where none other than Messi's Argentina awaits.
Murat Yakin set up a conservative 4-2-3-1: Kobel in goal; Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji and Ricardo Rodríguez in defence; the Freuler-Xhaka double pivot; Rieder, Jashari and Ndoye behind Embolo. Néstor Lorenzo answered with a 4-4-1-1 in which James Rodríguez played as a number ten behind Luis Suárez, with Luis Díaz and Jhon Arias out wide.
The match was a faithful reflection of two sides who respected each other a little too much. Colombia had slightly more of the ball (51% possession) and created a handful of half-chances —five shots, though only one on target— while Switzerland barely threatened (0.06 expected goals) and trusted their fate to structure and Kobel's solidity. The 90 minutes and the 30 of extra time were played out without the scoreboard moving: a 0-0 poor in football but heavy with tension.
It was all settled from twelve yards. In a long, nervy shootout, Granit Xhaka, Zeki Amdouni, Cédric Itten and Rubén Vargas converted for Switzerland; only Manuel Akanji missed. Juan Fernando Quintero, Jorman Campaz and Luis Díaz scored for Colombia, but the misses of Davinson Sánchez and Hernández condemned the Cafeteros. With the final 4-3, Vancouver bowed to a pragmatic Switzerland who survived on faith and cold blood.
Gregor Kobel, decisive in goal throughout and a giant in the shootout, was named man of the match with a 7.2. Colombia, who had impressed in the group stage, leave with the bitter feeling of going out without losing. Switzerland, by contrast, keep dreaming: in the quarter-finals they will face Argentina, the world champions, in one of the ties of the round.