Substitute Johan Manzambi strikes twice as Switzerland rout Bosnia 4-1 in World Cup Group B

Match recap

Switzerland recovered from an opening draw to thrash Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 in their second Group B game at SoFi Stadium. The Swiss dominated possession but struggled to break through until coach Murat Yakin introduced Johan Manzambi and Ruben Vargas after the second hydration break. Manzambi volleyed home three minutes after entering to make it 1-0 in the 74th minute. Bosnia were reduced to 10 men when Tarik Muharemovic was sent off, and Vargas added a second in the 84th. Manzambi grabbed his second in the 90th minute before Ermin Mahmic pulled one back deep into stoppage time. Captain Granit Xhaka then converted a penalty with the last kick to complete the rout.

Tactical timing

Yakin said he deliberately waited until the second hydration pause to unleash his quickest players. He told reporters he could have made the changes earlier, but did not want to give Bosnia time to react. The Swiss coach had already warned Vargas he would be held back until opponents tired. The three-minute cooling break also allowed him to reorganise the team and explain the adjustments.

“We needed to be very patient and stay in the game. It was important that after the second hydration break we changed some things. That was the edge we had.”

Manzambi's moment

The 20-year-old Freiburg midfielder said the brace was the first of his career. He had few options when the chance for his first goal arrived, but his overhead volley from a clearing header stunned the Bosnia defence. He then combined with Vargas for the third goal.

“Honestly, there wasn't much space in the box. I don't think there were a thousand options, but — thank God — it came off.”

Xhaka's orchestration

After a subdued outing against Qatar, Granit Xhaka restored his influence as the Swiss metronome. He completed 94 of 103 passes and delivered 26 line-breaking passes, nearly double his tally from the opener. Seven of those passes led to scoring chances, and he capped his display with the late penalty.

vs Qatar (match 1)14

vs Bosnia-Herzegovina (match 2)26

vs Qatar (match 1)

14 passes

vs Bosnia-Herzegovina (match 2)

26 passes

Data from the article text

The improvement reflected a player who had publicly demanded a reaction after the sluggish start to the tournament.

Ratings divide

Swiss media and fans rated the substitutes highest, while several starters drew criticism. A reader poll for Tages Anzeiger gave Manzambi a match-leading 5.3 out of 6, with Vargas at 4.8. Among the starters, only Manuel Akanji (4.3) and Xhaka (4.2) earned above-average scores. Full-backs Ricardo Rodriguez and Silvan Widmer were among the lowest rated. SRF users similarly placed Manzambi (5.7) and Vargas (5.4) well clear of the field.

Johan Manzambi5.3

Ruben Vargas4.8

Manuel Akanji4.3

Granit Xhaka4.2

Fabian Rieder3.5

Michel Aebischer3.4

Johan Manzambi

5.3

Ruben Vargas

4.8

Manuel Akanji

4.3

Granit Xhaka

4.2

Fabian Rieder

3.5

Michel Aebischer

3.4

Data from the article text

What's next

Switzerland now sit on four points and need only a draw against Canada in Vancouver on Wednesday to secure a last-32 berth. Bosnia, with one point, face Qatar in Seattle still with a chance of advancing.