The World Cup Round of 16 wraps up Tuesday night at BC Place in Vancouver, and the stakes are pretty simple. Win and you get Argentina. Lose and you go home. That’s the setup for Colombia against Switzerland, the final matchup before the quarterfinals begin.
Colombia is the last South American standing besides Argentina in this tournament. They made the Copa America final last summer and lost to the same Argentine team that’s waiting in the next round. So there’s a narrative here. Revenge, redemption, all that. But first they have to get through a Swiss side that isn’t going to just roll over.
Switzerland Shuffles the Deck
Switzerland made a couple of changes from their last group stage game against Algeria. Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi drop out of the starting XI. In their place, Ardon Jashari and Fabian Rieder get the nod. It’s a move that suggests manager Murat Yakin wants more energy in midfield early on, maybe to disrupt Colombia’s rhythm before things settle.
The Swiss lineup: Kobel in goal; Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, and Rodriguez across the back; Xhaka and Freuler holding the midfield; Ndoye, Rieder, and Jashari supporting Breel Embolo up top. That’s a solid spine. Akanji and Elvedi have been steady. Xhaka is the brains in the middle. And Embolo can punish you if you give him space.
Colombia Forced Into One Change
Colombia’s only change is not by choice. Jhon Cordoba went off with an injury eight minutes into their last match and won’t play again this World Cup. That’s a tough break. Luis Suarez comes back into the starting lineup to replace him. Suarez has been in and out of the XI this tournament, so it’s not like he’s rusty. He knows the system.
The full Colombia XI: Vargas in net; Munoz, Sanchez, Lucumi, and Mojica on defense; Lerma, Arias, and Puerta in midfield; Rodriguez, Suarez, and Luis Diaz leading the attack. Diaz is the guy who can turn a game on its own. He’s quick, direct, and not afraid to take defenders on. If Colombia gets him the ball in space, Switzerland will have problems.
Ranked 19th in the world, Switzerland is the lower seed here. Colombia sits 13th. But rankings don’t win games. Switzerland has been compact and hard to break down. Colombia has been flashier but also more vulnerable on the counter. Something has to give.
Our call? Colombia wins it 2-1. They’ve got the individual quality to edge a tight game, and Switzerland will make it interesting but probably come up just short. The quarterfinal matchup with Argentina is too good to pass up.
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