Switzerland beats Algeria 2-0 to reach World Cup last 16, first knockout win since 1938

Match overview

Switzerland secured a place in the World Cup round of 16 with a dominant 2-0 win over Algeria at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on Thursday night. Breel Embolo opened the scoring in the 10th minute, tapping in after a dazzling run and cutback from Johan Manzambi. Dan Ndoye doubled the lead 60 seconds into the second half, rifling a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Luca Zidane after a defensive mix-up. The result marked Switzerland's first victory in a World Cup knockout match since 1938, ending an 88-year wait.

Manzambi's tournament

Manzambi, the 20-year-old Freiburg midfielder, was again the catalyst. He has now registered two goals and two assists across the tournament, having scored twice against Bosnia and added a goal and an assist against Canada. Against Algeria, his electric dribbling on the left flank created the opener and he was a constant threat until being substituted in the 70th minute. His performances have made him one of the breakout stars of the competition.

Algeria's exit

Algeria started brightly, with Rafik Belghali and Riyad Mahrez threatening early, but they faded after Embolo's goal. The North African side struggled to build coherent attacks and managed only a handful of efforts on Gregor Kobel's goal. A glaring miss by Fabian Rieder, who shot straight at Zidane with an open net, spared Algeria a heavier defeat. Coach Vladimir Petkovic's team departs the tournament having failed to win a knockout game.

What's next

Switzerland will face the winner of Friday's Colombia-Ghana match in the round of 16 on Tuesday, July 7, again in Vancouver. The Swiss have now reached the last 16 at four consecutive World Cups, though they have not advanced beyond that stage since hosting the tournament in 1954. FIFA president Gianni Infantino watched from the VIP box and applauded his home nation's progress.