Penalties smiled at Switzerland and punished Colombia in Vancouver. The Swiss will face Argentina in their first World Cup quarterfinals since 1954, 72 years ago. The European team took advantage of the mistakes from the penalty spot by Davinson Sánchez and Cucho Hernández in a match marked by extreme equality.
At this stage of the World Cup, fear is almost more prominent than football. Switzerland and Colombia felt it, with the historic opportunity to reach the quarterfinals and facing a rival, neither of them being one of the title favorites. Not Spain, not France, not Argentina, not England.
Switzerland played without the young Manzambi, one of the revelations of the cup, injured in the knee before the match. Thus, Murat Yakin opted for Rieder, less vertical. They also did not have Vargas, the Sevilla winger, whom they left on the bench to field a stronger midfield.
The battle of the afternoon in Vancouver took place there, in the last match of this World Cup on Canadian soil. Colombia initially dominated the central zone by stealing, pausing, and building up, growing in the match and reaching Kobel's area always looking for Luis Díaz, the skillful Bayern winger, who had a matchup with Zakaria. The first clear chance came from that left attacking side. A steal in the opponent's half left the ball comfortably for Puerta, who dared with a curling shot towards Kobel's left post, which the Dortmund goalkeeper diverted for a corner.
The chance boosted the South American spirit and kept the Swiss calm, more organized and solid, but less daring. They wanted to wait and find space on the counterattack. They discovered it in the 28th minute with a good arrival from Rieder that forced Vargas to intervene for the first time. Three minutes later, Ndoye entered the box and tested the goalkeeper again, who easily caught the ball.
The two chances slightly worried Colombia, who stopped pressing towards the opponent's area, and the match entered a stalemate. Not much was happening. Neither the Colombians could break through with possession, despite having James, Díaz, or Arias, nor the Swiss could counter effectively. They lacked the clarity that Vargas and Manzambi have provided in recent weeks.
The second half started with the same script. Two similar teams, almost at the same technical and tactical level, at a crucial moment in the World Cup, aware that the opponent's chances will come from their own mistakes. Everything happened in the 60 meters of the midfield.
The substitution of Quintero for James, who was absent, gave Colombia more creativity in the final third, but the forwards were not sharp. Suárez missed a shot from outside the box in the 62nd minute, and Campaz failed to deliver a good final pass in the 75th minute.
Many errors and nerves in the air, with Switzerland being the team that looked stronger in the final minutes. Rieder claimed a penalty in an action with Davinson Sánchez, and Ndoye missed the target after a through ball from Sow. The players of Néstor Lorenzo, with tired legs and less oxygen, struggled to contain the opponent's attacks, but the match went into extra time. A fitting end for an excessively even game.
In extra time, the game finally opened up, and only the goalkeepers kept the score 0-0. Lucumi hit the crossbar with a header, Kobel made a good save on Campaz's shot, and Vargas stretched to prevent Amdouni's penalty kick from finding the net. The match went to penalties, and the tension was high, with no clear chances. An error from Xhaka left Campaz alone against the goalkeeper, but the left-footed player shot over the bar to the despair of the crowd.
From the penalty spot, Davinson Sánchez hit the crossbar with his shot, and Akanji sent his shot into the Vancouver sky, keeping the shootout level until it was Cucho's turn. Kobel saved the Betis striker's shot, and Vargas, from Sevilla, secured the victory for his team. In the distance, Leo Messi.