Switzerland beat Colombia on penalties to reach World Cup quarter-finals

VANCOUVER: Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw on Tuesday to set up a World Cup quarter-final with defending champions Argentina.
The two teams canceled each other out in the final game of the last 16 — the game in Vancouver was also the last at the 2026 tournament to be played outside the United States.
Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez hit the bar in a nerve-wracking shootout but Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji ballooned his effort over, meaning it was all square again.
Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel then regained the initiative for his team, brilliantly saving Cucho Hernandez’s effort.
After two more successful kicks, Ruben Vargas stepped up to take the decisive penalty and made no mistake.
It is the first time Switzerland have reached the last eight of the World Cup since they hosted the tournament in 1954.
Victorious captain Granit Xhaka said the current generation of players was a “special one.”
“We, the more experienced players, are being pushed by the younger ones, and at the same time we have to lead by example every single day and every single game,” Xhaka told Swiss broadcaster SRF.
“Of course, we try to pass on our experience, but above all the mentality that, even as a small nation, anything is possible at this level, in elite football.
“From the coaching staff to the last player, we can all be proud of what we’ve achieved.”

Tight match

Colombia, once again backed by thousands of passionate fans, had conceded just once in their four games before Tuesday’s match and the Swiss had also proved difficult to break down.
The first action of note came in the 21st minute when Kobel was forced into a flying save to keep out Gustavo Puerta’s curling effort from the edge of the penalty area.