Switzerland Beat Colombia On Penalties: The Shootout That Wouldn't End
Some matches decide themselves in the run of play. This one refused to. For two full hours, neither team blinked, and then everything came down to twelve yards, a spot of grass, and nerve. That's the short version of the Switzerland Colombia penalty shootout, a World Cup Round of 16 tie that stayed goalless for 120 straight minutes before finally cracking open in the cruelest way football knows how.
If you missed it, or you're piecing it together after the fact, here's what actually happened, and why it's already being talked about as one of the tournament's defining moments.
Why This Actually Matters
A shootout win like this isn't just a footnote. It's history, quite literally. Switzerland reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. Say that again slowly. Seventy two years. That's not a stat you skim past, that's most of a century of near misses finally breaking.
For Colombia, the opposite story sits underneath. They'd been eliminated on penalties in back to back World Cup appearances now, first against England in 2018, and now against Switzerland. That kind of repetition starts to feel less like bad luck and more like a pattern worth examining, honestly.
What Really Happened On The Pitch
Picture two boxers who spend twelve rounds landing nothing but jabs, both too disciplined, too cautious, to throw the knockout punch. That was Switzerland versus Colombia for large stretches. Colombia actually had the better chances. Gustavo Puerta forced a diving save from Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in the first half, and Colombia finished the match with a notably higher expected goals number than Switzerland did.
Extra time nearly settled it twice. Jhon Lucumí rose unmarked on a corner and crashed a header against the crossbar. Later, Jáminton Campaz had only the goalkeeper to beat after a Swiss defensive mistake and blazed the chance over the bar. Both moments will replay in Colombian minds for a long time.
How The Penalty Shootout Unfolded, Step By Step
- Granit Xhaka opened the shootout for Switzerland, placing his kick calmly into the top corner.
- Colombia's Davinson Sánchez stepped up next and smashed his effort against the crossbar, missing.
- Zeki Amdouni scored comfortably for the Swiss, sending the keeper the wrong way.
- Jáminton Campaz responded for Colombia, leveling things at 2-2 after the earlier miss was offset.
- Cedric Itten kept his composure, slotting straight down the middle to push Switzerland ahead again.
- Cucho Hernández had his penalty saved by Kobel, who guessed correctly and parried it away.
- Luis Díaz scored to keep Colombia alive, tying it once more.
- Rubén Vargas, brought on late despite carrying a knock, stepped up and calmly tucked his kick into the bottom corner to win it 4-3.
Manuel Akanji also missed earlier for Switzerland in extra sequences of the shootout, which makes Kobel's save on Hernández the real turning point. Without it, this goes a different way entirely.
Real World Context And What The Numbers Say
Switzerland were missing Johan Manzambi, their breakout star of this tournament who had contributed five goal involvements across the first four matches, after a training injury the day before. That absence forced a different shape, and arguably made the shootout even more of a collective effort rather than one built around a single player.
Colombia, meanwhile, were chasing only their second ever World Cup quarterfinal appearance, with their previous one coming back in 2014 in Brazil, where they eventually lost to the host nation in the next round.
Mistakes People Keep Making When Discussing This Match
The most common one: assuming the team with better chances "deserved" to win. Colombia's higher expected goals number gets thrown around a lot, and sure, it tells part of the story. But football doesn't reward expected outcomes, it rewards actual ones. Switzerland defended with real discipline and won the moments that mattered most, which is its own kind of merit, not luck.
Pro Tips For Understanding Shootouts Like This
Watch goalkeeper body language before each kick, not just the takers. Kobel's save came from reading Hernández's approach correctly, not guessing. That's a skill, not chance. Also worth noting: substitutes brought on specifically for shootouts, like Vargas here, often perform well precisely because they haven't carried ninety minutes of fatigue into the moment.
Closing Thoughts
There's something almost unfair about a match this evenly contested being decided by five separate one on one duels instead of ninety minutes of team football. But that's the rule, and everyone agreed to it going in. Switzerland now face defending champions Argentina in the quarterfinals, a side that survived its own near disaster against Egypt on the very same day. Two teams that refuse to go quietly, meeting next.
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FAQs
What was the final score in the Switzerland Colombia penalty shootout?
Switzerland won 4-3 on penalties after 120 minutes ended goalless.
Who scored the winning penalty for Switzerland?
Rubén Vargas, coming off the bench despite a minor injury, scored the decisive fifth penalty.
Why did Colombia lose despite having more chances?
Colombia had a higher expected goals tally but missed key moments in extra time and lost the shootout after Davinson Sánchez hit the crossbar and Cucho Hernández had his kick saved.
When did Switzerland last reach the World Cup quarterfinals before this?
Switzerland's last quarterfinal appearance came in 1954.
Who does Switzerland play next?
Switzerland faces defending champions Argentina in the quarterfinals.