Switzerland booked their place in the Round of 16 stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 2-0 victory over Algeria on Friday morning.
The result saw the Swiss finally ending a long-standing knockout curse that had seen them eliminated in each of their previous seven appearances at this stage of the tournament.
On the matchday, the Swiss made a slow start to the contest and were helped by a key early moment when Algeria appealed for a penalty after Ramiz Zerrouki went down inside the box in the 8th minute, but the referee was unmoved and waved play on.
Just two minutes later, Switzerland punished that moment of hesitation as Johan Manzambi delivered a clever pass into the path of Breel Embolo, who calmly slotted into an empty net to give his side the lead.
Algeria attempted to respond but struggled to break down a disciplined Swiss defence, with Switzerland gradually growing into control of the match. The North Africans were unable to find a clear way back into the game, despite flashes of intent in midfield and wide areas.
The decisive moment of the second half arrived immediately after the restart when Dan Ndoye reacted quickest to a loose ball just outside the penalty area. With little hesitation, he struck a powerful effort that flew inside the left post beyond Luca Zidane to double the lead for the Europeans.
From there, Switzerland managed the game effectively, limiting Algeriaโs attacking threat and maintaining their defensive shape.
The only notable late chance came in the 81st minute when Fabian Rieder found himself in a promising position inside the six-yard box but miscued his effort badly.
Despite that missed opportunity, Switzerland remained in control and saw out the match to secure a memorable 2-0 win and a place in the next round.
They will now face the winner of the Round of 32 clash between Colombia and Ghana on Tuesday, July 7, in Vancouver.
