Switzerland did something Thursday night it hasn’t done since 1938. Win a World Cup knockout match. The 2-0 result over Algeria in Vancouver wasn’t just a clean sheet. It was a statement from a team that’s quietly put together one of the tournament’s most complete runs.
Breel Embolo opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and the Swiss never looked back. His goal was vintage Embolo — a low cross from 20-year-old Johan Manzambi, who tore down the left wing, beat his defender, and laid it on a platter. Embolo buried it from close range for his fourth career World Cup goal. That puts him one behind Xherdan Shaqiri (five) and two behind Josef Hugi (six) on Switzerland’s all-time World Cup scoring list.
And here’s a stat that’ll make you double-take: Embolo has now scored Switzerland’s opening goal in three different World Cup matches. No Swiss player has ever done that before.
Algeria had its moments early. Houssem Aouar couldn’t get a clean foot on Rafik Belghali’s cross, and Riyad Mahrez tested the Swiss back line a couple times. But Manuel Akanji and Nico Elvedi were rocks in central defense, and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel barely broke a sweat. Switzerland’s organization has been the story of its tournament so far, and it showed again.
The dagger came 48 seconds into the second half. Denis Zakaria intercepted Algeria’s buildup, the ball bounced around, and Dan Ndoye calmly slotted home after controlling a weak clearance from Belghali. Suddenly it was 2-0, and Algeria’s hopes were basically gone. Zakaria later made a crucial block on Mahrez to keep the lead safe.
Captain Granit Xhaka reached 150 international caps in this match, the first Swiss player ever to hit that number. He ran the midfield alongside Zakaria, winning 10 duels and recovering possession eight times. Just a typical night for the Swiss captain.
Manzambi, at 20 years and 261 days old, is having a coming-out party. With three goals and two assists this tournament, he’s the first Swiss player since detailed World Cup data started in 1966 to record five goal contributions in a single World Cup. He’s also the youngest to hit that mark in the same timeframe.
Switzerland generated 2.52 expected goals from 11 shots while holding Algeria to 0.73 from eight attempts. And for the first time since 1954, the Swiss scored twice in a World Cup knockout match. That’s the kind of number that makes you wonder how far this team can go.
Up next for Murat Yakin’s squad is the winner of Friday’s Colombia vs. Ghana match in the Round of 32. Algeria heads home alongside Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Senegal and South Africa, leaving Morocco as the last African team standing in the Round of 16.
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