Switzerland Ease Into Round Of 16 With Victory Over Algeria
- Timothy Belin
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
Agustin Marcarian/Reuters
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Despite a scary start against Algeria, Switzerland made light work of their Middle Eastern opponents to move on to the Round of 16.
Algeria dominated opening exchanges, controlling possession and creating chances, but Switzerland scored against the run of play in the 10th minute. From there on out, momentum shifted and the Europeans took full control of the game.
Johan Manzambi, Switzerland’s 20-year-old breakout star, was once again at the centre of things. After picking the ball up near the center circle, he showed great skill to drive past players and to the byline. From there, a simple cutback found Breel Embolo for the striker’s second goal of the tournament.
Neither side created any major chances for the next 20 minutes, but Switzerland had the clear upper hand. The Swiss outfit showed great team cohesion to consistently fill in for each other as players shifted across the pitch, keeping Algeria at bay in doing so. And in the 37th minute they nearly doubled their lead as Denis Zakaria connected with a deep free-kick, but his header went just over the bar.
Seconds into the second half, Switzerland did double their lead.
Zakaria, playing at right back, carried the ball upfield and put in a cross. Algeria cleared the attempt, but as they looked to pass out the Swiss defender snuck ahead of his man to regain possession. His cross was this time cleared to the edge of the box, where Dan Ndoye stepped onto it and placed his shot perfectly across goal and into the bottom of the corner.
With just 46 seconds on the clock for the second period, Switzerland led 2-0.
Algeria’s best chance to get back in the game came in the 50th minute, as Riyad Mahrez ran onto a ball at the edge of the box. The Algerian captain looked to wrong-foot Gregor Kobel in goal, but Zakaria, who was probably man of the match on the night for both his defensive and attacking work, read the play and blocked the shot.
From there on out, the game seemed sealed. Algeria ran out of ideas, and Switzerland looked more likely to score a third than to concede.
Second-half substitute Fabian Rieder will probably feel he should have gotten that third goal, as two of the team’s best chances fell to him. In the 75th minute, the attacking midfielder got the ball on the edge of the box and saw his shot blocked by a defender just in front of the goal.
His biggest regret will probably be for his second chance, in the 82nd minute. Zakaria once again sent a dangerous low cross, and while it evaded both Embolo and his marker, it landed at Rieder’s feet, unmarked at the back post and with a gaping goal in front of him. The midfielder mishit the ball however and sent it back across goal rather than into that empty net.
Thankfully for the Swiss, they did not live to rue either missed opportunity. Even as their former manager turned head coach of Algeria, Vladimir Petkovic, sent on more and more attacking players, the Swiss defense held firm. And with the final act of the game, Michael Aebischer would have put a bow on the performance if not for a good Luca Zidane save to keep things respectable.
Switzerland set two national records with their performance. After winning their final two group stage games, they became the first Swiss side to win three consecutive World Cup games. And their Round of 32 success is also the first time the nation has won a World Cup knockout game.
Switzerland will have 24 hours to celebrate before locking in to tomorrow’s Colombia - Ghana game, which will determine their Round of 16 opponent. With their next game to be played in Vancouver, the same stadium they defeated Algeria in, they will benefit from lessened travel and a familiar environment heading into that game.
Switzerland will face either Colombia or Ghana on July 7 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time, 1 p.m. Pacific.
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