Super Subs Power Switzerland Past Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Timothy Belin
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Credit Opta Analyst
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Two substitutes combined for a wild end to Switzerland’s Group B clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The two teams were locked in a 0-0 stalemate for the first three quarters of the game, but a 74th-minute goal by second-half substitute Johan Manzambi kickstarted an enthralling finale. In the final 16 minutes of the encounter, the two teams combined for five goals, a penalty and a red card.
The first period went as many would have expected. Switzerland dominated possession, but struggled to create meaningful chances against a dogged Bosnian defense. Dan Ndoye was once again a livewire down the left flank, but his crossing attempts were repeatedly thwarted, while his first shot went just wide of the post and the second was straight at the goalkeeper.
For Bosnia, it took over an hour to create a true scoring opportunity, and it didn’t even result in a shot. A cross from the left looked poised to fall to a forward at the back post, only for it to slip by him inexplicably. Not until the 38th minute did they finally test Swiss shotstopper Gregor Kobel, but Amar Memic’s attempt was easy for the Borussia Dortmund man to collect.
The Bosnians did create a head of steam in the half’s dying moments following their first attempt, with Switzerland’s Remo Freuler notably forced into a crucial sliding block in his box in the 41st minute.
Following that late switch of momentum, the second half turned into a more even affair.
Ndoye continued to be a danger for the Swiss and nearly pulled off a spectacular bicycle kick in the 56th minute, only for Nikola Vasilj to parry it over his crossbar. Breel Embolo then had a header saved near post in the 62nd minute for Switzerland, and Amir Dedic tested Kobel with a good shot from distance in the 68th.
Then everything changed in the 72nd minute.
Coming out of the water break, Swiss head coach Murat Yakin made a triple substitution. Among the entrants were Johan Manzambi, a 20-year-old breakout star in Europe this season, and Ruben Vargas.
Within two minutes, Manzambi scored the opener off a chance Vargas created.
The winger raced down the left side and sent in an inviting cross to the back post. A Bosnian defender was there to head it away, but only to the top of the box where Manzambi was lurking. The youngster hit the ball on the volley to send it into the roof of the net.
A comeback was made unlikely for the Bosnians six minutes later, as Tarik Muharemovic picked up a straight red for denial of a goalscoring opportunity. The defender slid in to try and stop Embolo from running through on goal, but caught only the striker. It was a clear red, and even Muharemovic knew it, walking straight down the tunnel without protest the moment the referee brandished his card.
With the numerical advantage, Switzerland looked to turn the screw and increase their goal difference in a group that came into the day with all four teams perfectly tied. It paid off in the 85th minute as Vargas doubled the tally, striking a ball perfectly into the bottom corner from an Embolo pass at the edge of the box.
Vargas and Manzambi combined once again in the 90th minute, with yet another run down the left flank by the winger. After making it to the byline, Vargas cut it back to the youngster, who had the simple task of tapping it home.
“We needed to be patient and we chose to wait until the hydration break to make our tactical changes, so the opponent didn't have a chance to react,” Yakin said. “We brought fast players and after the opponent already ran a lot, we got spaces, and we were able to convincingly decide the match."
The Bosnians got a consolation goal in the third minute of stoppage time when Erin Mahmic hit a fierce volley past Kobel after the keeper had punched a corner clear. But if they had any hopes of staging an unlikely comeback, they were dashed three minutes later as Switzerland won a penalty.
Djibril Sow, the third substitute from that 72nd-minute triple change, got to a loose ball in the box first. Memic brought him down in an attempt to regain the ball, and Swiss captain Granit Xhaka cooly dispatched the spot kick into the bottom right corner.
The referee blew the end of the match while the Swiss were still celebrating, bringing an end to a wild final 20 minutes. The result all-but-guaranteed the Swiss a top-two finish, and consequently a place in the round of 32.
Switzerland will now play Canada on the 24th to determine the winner of Group B. Whether Manzambi’s stellar substitute performance- he became the youngest-ever player to score a brace off the bench at the World Cup - earns him a place in the starting lineup remains to be seen.
“Yes, it’s probably the best moment of my career so far,” Manzambi said. “We knew why we didn’t start well and we had to be patient today. But we’re a good team and I think we showed that today.”
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