Switzerland Advances to Round of 16
Switzerland secured its place in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 after a 2-0 victory over Algeria on Thursday night in Vancouver. The match saw goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye, with young star Johan Manzambi playing a pivotal role in the opening goal.
The first goal came in the 10th minute when Manzambi, a 20-year-old midfielder, set up Embolo. Manzambi demonstrated speed and fluid movement, navigating past several Algerian defenders before delivering a pass that Embolo converted. Embolo, who plays for Ligue 1 club Rennes, credited Manzambi for the goal, stating that 95 percent of it was due to his assist. Swiss coach Murat Yakin described the goal as a “lucky punch,” highlighting Manzambi’s ability to identify crucial moments for the team.
Ndoye scored Switzerland’s second goal in the 46th minute, shortly after the start of the second half. His shot from the top of the box beat Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane. Ndoye also praised Manzambi’s contribution, noting that he makes the team significantly better.
The match was held at BC Place Stadium, with an announced crowd of 52,497 in attendance. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also present, having attended another match earlier in the day between Spain and Austria in Inglewood, California.
Manzambi’s Impact and Team Performance
Johan Manzambi has been a standout player for Switzerland throughout the tournament. He has two goals and two assists in the competition. Although he started the World Cup coming off the bench, his performances earned him a starting role in the team’s last two games. In a previous match at BC Place Stadium, he scored a goal, provided an assist, and was named Man of the Match in Switzerland’s 2-1 win over Canada, which secured the top spot in Group B. Earlier in the tournament, he scored two goals in a 4-1 victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina, becoming the youngest player to score two goals off the bench in the World Cup.
Manzambi, who plays for Bundesliga club SC Freiburg, has five goals in 15 international appearances. Swiss captain Granit Xhaka, who also captains Premier League club Sunderland, noted Manzambi’s continuous improvement and strong mentality. Coach Yakin highlighted Manzambi’s versatility, stating that he can be utilized in any position and has shown significant evolution and development over the past year.
Despite his offensive contributions, Manzambi was replaced by Noah Okafor in the 70th minute with Switzerland leading 2-0. Yakin explained that the defensive workload became more challenging for Manzambi as the match progressed.
Looking Ahead
The victory against Algeria marks a significant achievement for Switzerland, as it advances to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954. Ndoye expressed the team’s ambition, stating, “Today we write one page of history, but we want more, and we work for more.”
Switzerland will remain in Vancouver for their next match. They are scheduled to face the winner of the Ghana–Colombia match on Tuesday. The Round of 16 game will be played in Vancouver.
Algeria, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2014, has been eliminated from the tournament. They had advanced as a third-place finisher after a 3-3 draw against Austria last Saturday in Kansas City, a match in which captain Riyad Mahrez scored two goals.
Read Also
Source: thestar.com
