Switzerland ended a 72-year wait and secured a place in the quarter-finals of a World Cup, overcoming Colombia in a penalty shootout during an electrifying clash in Vancouver at BC Place Stadium. The goalless draw over 120 minutes reflected the balance of the match, but the Swiss composure proved decisive in the penalties, resulting in a final score of 4-3.
Murat Yakin, Switzerland's head coach, did not hide his satisfaction with the achievement, highlighting his team's hard work and the historic significance of this qualification. “Our efforts were worth it. We had a goal in mind, every detail mattered, and everything has gone well for us so far. I think we have elevated our performance with each game, and it is gratifying to see how much we have evolved as a team,” Yakin stated after the final whistle.
The Swiss coach acknowledged that the match against Colombia was hard-fought, marked by many duels and moments of tension. “The opponent was not necessarily superior. In fact, the game was quite balanced and had many battles, but we stood firm. Perhaps there were moments when we made mistakes and allowed Colombia to create more opportunities, but we controlled the game. Whether deserved or not, we progressed to the next stage, and that is what matters,” he emphasized.
The historic dimension of the qualification did not go unnoticed by the coach, who stressed: “[Returning to the quarter-finals after 72 years] is a historic event. We are among the eight best in the world, and that doesn’t happen every day. We will face another strong opponent, such as Argentina. We want to achieve Switzerland's best-ever result, and we can accomplish great things.”
Despite the next opponent being the reigning world champion, Yakin issued a challenge and expressed confidence. “We will take advantage of the moment and celebrate before facing the current champion, who is not invincible. It will be an interesting game and we will try to compete. It is a unique opportunity. I am very excited, but I need a few hours to process what just happened,” he stated, not hiding his emotion.
The absence of Johan Manzambi due to injury was also addressed by the Swiss coach, who explained: “[Johan Manzambi's absence due to injury] was very painful for us. However, we dealt with it well and everyone fulfilled their roles. We do not know what injury he has. Fortunately, he is not feeling pain and that is an advantage. We are hopeful [about a timely recovery] and, if it makes sense, we will use him in the next match, but we do not want to take risks. We will see what the next few days hold for us.”
With this victory, Switzerland reaffirms itself as one of the sensations of the World Cup, fueling the dream of achieving unprecedented feats and making it clear that ambition is high ahead of the clash with powerful Argentina.
O MUNDIAL 2026 VIVE-SE COM A LEGO
AGORA PODE ACOMPANHAR O MUNDIAL DE FUTEBOL COM TODA INFORMAÇÃO – AQUI
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