Photo of Chumasande Matiwane

Swiss hold their nerve to secure quarterfinal spot on penalties 

4 months By Chumasande Matiwane

Switzerland booked their place in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals after edging Colombia 4-3 on penalties following a tense 0-0 draw in regulation and extra time. 

In a fierce battle of the Round of 16 encounter, both sides created opportunities but were unable to find the breakthrough.

Also see: World Cup showdown: Can Egypt topple Argentina? 

Switzerland’s incredible defence

Switzerland’s disciplined defence frustrated Colombia’s attacking threats, while the Swiss also came close on several occasions, only to be denied by resilient defending and impressive goalkeeping by the Colombian side. 

With neither team able to break the deadlock after 120 minutes, the match was decided from the penalty spot. Switzerland held their nerve in the shootout, converting four of its five penalties, while Colombia missed twice, handing the Swiss a dramatic victory. 

Also see: Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo suffers World Cup heartbreak as Portugal crashes out

Advancing to the quarters

Switzerland advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954, when that stage was the first in the knockout round of a Swiss-hosted tournament featuring a total of 16 teams. They will face a tall task to better that result, facing Lionel Messi and Argentina in Kansas City in four days. 

Switzerland manager Murat Yakin said after the match, “I think I need another couple of hours or days to process what just happened.” “This is a dream.” 

This triumph marks another memorable chapter in Switzerland’s World Cup campaign. 

Also see: Brazil’s Neymar retires from international football after World Cup loss

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