Switzerland vs Colombia: Swiss Win on Penalties to Reach First Quarter-Final in 72 Years

Result

Switzerland reached their first World Cup quarter-final since 1954, beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes at BC Place, Vancouver -- the final last-16 tie of the 2026 tournament.

Neither side could find a breakthrough across two hours of tense, attritional football at BC Place. Colombia controlled possession in the first half and Gustavo Puerta forced an acrobatic save from Gregor Kobel. Fabian Rieder went closest for Switzerland in the second half with a left-footed volley that Camilo Vargas gathered comfortably. Extra time brought the best chances: Jhon Lucumi headed against the Swiss crossbar, Zeki Amdouni forced another Vargas save, and Jaminton Campaz blazed over from close range when it looked easier to score.

Penalties decided it. Davinson Sanchez hit the underside of the bar for Colombia's opening kick, and when Kobel dived to his right to deny Cucho Hernandez, Switzerland had the advantage they would not relinquish. Ruben Vargas stepped up to convert the decisive spot-kick, sending the Swiss bench spilling onto the pitch and a nation into its first World Cup quarter-final in 72 years.

Switzerland had to do it without breakout star Johan Manzambi, who was ruled out before the match with a knee injury. In his absence, the collective Swiss defensive unit -- anchored by captain Granit Xhaka -- held firm against a Colombia side that had looked dangerous in the group stage.

Pool impact

The shootout result will have split Last Man Standing pools down the middle. Switzerland backers survive by the thinnest of margins -- a 0-0 draw through extra time and penalties is as close as it gets. Colombia pickers will feel especially hard done by, having seen their team create the better chances and hit the woodwork in extra time. In Score Predictor, a 0-0 after 90 minutes was a niche call at best, but anyone who also backed Switzerland to advance on penalties will have cleaned up.

Pre-match forecasts

Colombia arrived in Vancouver as unofficial dark horses, with Luis Diaz offering genuine star power and a midfield built around Puerta's energy. Switzerland had quietly put together one of the tournament's most impressive runs, losing only one of their last 18 international matches coming in. The pre-match consensus pointed to a tight, low-scoring affair -- both teams had shown defensive solidity in reaching the last 16 -- and that forecast proved uncannily accurate across 120 minutes of deadlock.

Standout stats

Switzerland have now lost only one of their last 19 international matches, a run stretching back well over a year. This is their first World Cup quarter-final since they hosted the tournament in 1954. Kobel was named player of the match for his commanding performance in goal, capped by the crucial shootout save from Hernandez. For Colombia, the wait for a deep World Cup run continues, though Luis Suarez believes this generation has laid a marker for the future.

What comes next

Switzerland will face Argentina -- and Lionel Messi -- in the quarter-finals in Kansas City on Saturday 11 July. It is the ultimate test for Murat Yakin's side: the defending champions, fresh from their own dramatic comeback against Egypt, against a Swiss team that has made a habit of proving the doubters wrong.

If you're running a Last Man Standing pool for the World Cup, Matchroom handles the picks and results automatically, free at getmatchroom.app.