In a gripping Round of 16 clash at the 2026 World Cup held at BC Place in Vancouver on Tuesday, July 7, Switzerland edged past Colombia in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw through regulation and extra time.
The match concluded with a scoreline of 0-0 after 120 minutes, pushing both teams into a tense penalty shootout that ultimately saw Switzerland prevail 4-3 on penalties.
Penalty Shootout Drama Decides the Outcome
The shootout featured a series of successful and missed attempts that kept fans on the edge. Switzerland opened the scoring in the shootout with Granit Xhaka converting a left-footed penalty into the top left corner, matched swiftly by Colombia’s Juan Fernando Quintero, who placed his shot centrally.
Colombia’s Davinson Sánchez then hit the crossbar with his effort, marking a crucial miss that would later prove costly. Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji also faltered, sending his penalty shot too high to keep the shootout finely balanced.
Both teams continued exchanging successful penalties, with Colombia’s Jaminton Campaz and Switzerland’s Zeki Amdouni converting their shots, followed by Colombia’s Cucho Hernández having his attempt saved by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
As the shootout intensified, Cedric Itten scored a precise right-footed penalty for Switzerland, bringing the tally to 3-2. Colombia’s Luis Díaz answered immediately with an equally confident conversion.
The decisive moment arrived when Rubén Vargas sealed Switzerland’s victory with a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner, clinching the match at 4-3 in the shootout and sending the Swiss side through to the quarterfinals.