A penalty shoot-out was nigh in Vancouver, and while Nestor Lorenzo jumped in amongst Colombia’s players immediately, Murat Yakin held back from Switzerland’s huddle, allowing those in it to take a moment mentally.
What came next would send Switzerland into the World Cup quarter-finals, breaking a barrier they had not cleared for 72 years. But before the kicks, Yakin appeared and slipped into the crowd of Swiss bodies by the touchline, checking one by one. “You’re good to go?” Yes. “And you?” Nods all round. There were no dramas or histrionics until, as the group broke up, the entire contingent generated a huge surge of energy: shouts and clenched fists, akin to a celebration. The shoot-out hadn’t started, but they believed they had it. More than that, they knew they had it.
Their penalties weren’t flawless when it came to it — Manuel Akanji swept Switzerland’s third over the crossbar and admitted later that what was said beforehand slipped from his mind completely, so lost was he in the moment — but Swiss confidence was well-founded once goalkeeper Gregor Kobel tipped the balance with a save from Cucho Hernandez.
“You have to be perfect to beat Gregor,” said winger Dan Ndoye, and Kobel’s anticipation left Ruben Vargas to tuck away the decisive effort. Colombia and Lorenzo exit stage left, with regrets aplenty. They’ll wish yesterday’s tie could start over. A curse-breaking shoot-out win was Switzerland’s ticket to Lionel Messi, Argentina and the last eight.
Did Yakin aim for that eventuality? Possibly. It was put to both coaches, he and Lorenzo, before kick-off that it would be European discipline against South American emotion at BC Place, but either Switzerland dragged Colombia into their type of scrap or Colombia’s flair dried up in their round of 16 win over Ghana.
Colombia had tens of thousands with them in Vancouver, the streets outside BC Place running rivers of yellow and the inside of the stadium exactly the same, but clockwork is a Swiss speciality and through 120 goalless minutes, Yakin’s midfield ran like it, rigid and stingy with Granit Xhaka the fire hose to Colombian fire.
Switzerland are experts at handling the group stage of a World Cup. More often than not, they find a way through it. What they have rarely do well in the modern era, and what nobody expects, is a run to any notable stage of the knockouts.
Gregor Kobel saves brilliantly from Cucho Hernandez (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
In Qatar four years ago, they made a decent job of Group G and then took a 6-1 hiding from Portugal in the last 16 (there was no last 32 in 2022, because the tournament involved only 32 countries). But Yakin has longevity and he and the Swiss are happy bedfellows. The one-time Fenerbahce midfielder has been in post as national head coach since 2021, overseeing two World Cups and one European Championship. His squad’s identity is heavily ingrained.
Most of BC Place was calling extra-time and penalties after 45 minutes of a humid, cagey match. The football had that smell about it. Johan Manzambi — feted everywhere as Switzerland’s break-out star — had been injured in training 24 hours earlier, a loss which hampered Yakin and made him “nervous”.
Even so, Colombia were reluctant to commit full-backs Daniel Munoz and Johan Mojica forward, perhaps concerned about giving Switzerland’s wide forwards space behind them. James Rodriguez was gone after 66 minutes, withdrawn to the bench with nothing doing. Who knows if a Colombia shirt will be his to wear again, or whether he wants his international career to continue?
The crowd was so heavily Colombian that it resembled a fixture from which away fans had been banned, but Luis Diaz found himself trying to squeeze more support from them as the afternoon wore on without a goal. The best chances fell in extra-time, with Colombia hitting the crossbar through Jhon Lucumi, and Jaminton Campaz lashing over from a position where he should have punished a weak Xhaka clearance. The exchange stumbled into penalties and with a delicate touch, Yakin did his thing.
“There were important elements we talked through,” he said, and in the face of a Colombian cacophony, Xhaka took the heat by stepping up to convert Switzerland’s first take. Davinson Sanchez hit the crossbar with Colombia’s second but Akanji’s loose miss was rendered irrelevant by Kobel getting two hands behind the next attempt from Hernandez. Vargas was given the chance to win it and Colombia’s desperation showed when Yerry Mina tried to get in the winger’s ear, only for two officials to run and chase him off. Vargas held his nerve and sent his namesake, Camilo Vargas the wrong way. An emotional Xhaka dropped to his knees in prayer.
An emotional Granit Xhaka prays on the turf as his teammates rush off to celebrate (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
“I don’t remember everything that was said,” a relieved Akanji admitted afterwards. “We had a lot of speeches today, to encourage each other. I guess what we did worked.” Switzerland’s order, according to Ndoye, was decided beforehand — but final checks were made with penalties pending to give anybody who was having doubts the opportunity to step aside. “Everyone said if he was feeling it or not,” Ndoye said, and from the outside looking in, the Swiss camp seemed to be.
Switzerland were supposed to be ill-fated in shoot-outs, losing five of their previous six. From the moment the huddle formed in Vancouver, this one was theirs.
