Switzerland secured their first World Cup knockout victory since 1938 by defeating Algeria and advancing to the last 16. Goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye ensured Murat Yakin’s side progressed after a composed display in Vancouver.
The breakthrough arrived in the 10th minute thanks to outstanding work from Johan Manzambi. The Freiburg winger beat his marker on the flank before cutting the ball back into the penalty area, where Embolo applied a simple finish for the opening goal.
Any hopes of an Algerian comeback were quickly damaged after the restart. Just 46 seconds into the second half, Nottingham Forest winger Ndoye finished confidently from inside the box to double Switzerland’s advantage and give his team complete control.
Algeria unable to find a response
Algeria entered the match hoping to record their first victory in the World Cup knockout rounds, but they struggled to create meaningful opportunities. Their best chance before the interval fell to Fares Chaibi, whose effort was comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
After the second Swiss goal, Algeria rarely threatened again as Switzerland managed the match effectively. The only opportunity to extend the margin came late in the contest when Fabian Rieder found himself with the goal at his mercy at the back post, only to miscue his shot towards goalkeeper Luca Zidane.
The result ended a long wait for Switzerland’s first knockout success at the World Cup since their victory over Germany in 1938, which came before the tournament adopted a group-stage format.
Manzambi continues to impress
The match also marked Granit Xhaka’s 150th appearance for Switzerland. The captain produced another assured performance as his side comfortably controlled proceedings throughout the game.
Much of the attacking attention, however, belonged to Manzambi. His excellent individual run created Embolo’s opener, and after scoring three goals during the group stage, he registered his second assist of the tournament.
According to Opta, the 20-year-old has become the first Swiss player since detailed World Cup data collection began in 1966 to be directly involved in five goals during a single tournament. At 20 years and 261 days old, he is also the youngest player from any nation to reach that figure over the same period. His performances could attract interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, although Freiburg will be hoping to keep hold of the promising winger.
Switzerland has now advanced to the World Cup round of 16 for the fourth consecutive tournament. Their next match will be against either Colombia or Ghana on 7 July at 21:00 BST at BC Place in Vancouver.
