Gregor Kobel produced a man-of-the-match performance and Rubén Vargas converted the winning spot-kick as Switzerland eliminated Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Switzerland defeated Colombia 4-3 on penalties following a grueling, tactical 0-0 draw after extra time at BC Place Vancouver on Monday, with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel delivering a man-of-the-match performance to book Switzerland’s place in the quarter-finals.
The game was heavily defensive with very few clear-cut scoring opportunities. Ricardo Rodríguez missed Switzerland’s best open-play chance when he slipped while shooting inside the box. For Colombia, Luis Suárez and Gustavo Puerta tested Kobel early but failed to break through.
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In the first half of extra time, Colombia came agonisingly close to a winner when Jhon Lucumí rose highest on a corner kick and rattled his header off the crossbar. Colombian substitute Jaminton Campaz was gifted a one-on-one chance following a cheap giveaway by Granit Xhaka in the 115th minute, but he shockingly skied his shot over the net.
In the penalty shootout, Colombia’s Quintero scored, Sánchez missed, Campaz scored, Hernández missed, and Díaz scored. For Switzerland, Xhaka scored, Amdouni scored, Akanji missed, Itten scored, and Vargas scored the winner.
Switzerland finished with nine shots, two on target, while Colombia managed 11 shots, two on target. Swiss possession stood at 52 percent compared to Colombia’s 48 percent.
The penalty victory acts as historic revenge for Switzerland, who had previously lost their most recent encounter against Colombia by a 3-1 margin.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Switzerland advances to play reigning world champions Argentina in a quarter-final in Missouri.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on July 8, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
