Switzerland Through to First Q’final in 72 Years After Shootouts with Colombia

Switzerland secured a historic place in the World Cup quarterfinals, overcoming Colombia 4-1 in a dramatic penalty shootout on Tuesday night. This marks the first time the Swiss have reached this stage of the tournament since they hosted it in 1954, a span of 72 years.

The match remained goalless through extra time, setting the stage for a tense shootout. Colombia faltered as Davinson Sánchez's shot hit the crossbar and Cucho Hernández's effort was saved by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. Rubén Vargas scored the decisive penalty for Switzerland, booking their spot against defending champions Argentina.

This achievement is particularly significant for Switzerland, as it's the first time they have won multiple knockout matches in the same World Cup. Previously, they had reached the round of 16 in the last three tournaments but failed to advance further.

Colombia, meanwhile, experienced penalty shootout heartbreak for the second consecutive World Cup appearance, having been eliminated by England in a similar fashion in 2018. They had been hoping to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014.

Switzerland's World Cup breakout star, Johan Manzambi, was sidelined due to an injury sustained in training, but Vargas, who had scored two goals earlier in the tournament, came off the bench to convert the winning penalty.