Algeria Eliminated, Switzerland Advance to the 2026 World Cup Round of 16
Source: Antara Foto/Arif Prada
Switzerland secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 after defeating Algeria 2-0 in their Round of 32 match at Vancouver Stadium, Canada, Friday WIB. This victory advances Murat Yakin's squad further in the tournament, while also ending Algeria's World Cup campaign.
Despite finishing with a comfortable win, Switzerland faced heavy pressure during the opening stages of the match, with Algeria playing with far greater aggression.
Algeria created the first proper chance of the game just six minutes after kickoff. Houssem Aouar connected with an incoming cross, but his attempt did not find the target.
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Switzerland punished Algeria's defensive lapse five minutes later. Johan Manzambi made a solo driving run down the right wing before playing a delivery into the penalty area. Breel Embolo met the ball to put Switzerland 1-0 ahead in the 11th minute.
This goal completely shifted the match dynamic. Switzerland began to dominate possession and took full control of the game tempo. Ricardo Rodriguez threatened with a long-range strike in the 25th minute, but his effort drifted wide of Luca Zidane's goal. The first half concluded with Switzerland holding a 1-0 lead.
Barely sixty seconds into the second half, Dan Ndoye capitalised on two back-to-back errors from Algeria's backline. Collecting the ball from a poor defensive clearance, Ndoye unleashed a powerful finish into the right corner of the goal, extending Switzerland's lead to 2-0.
Algeria attempted to mount a comeback. Riyad Mahrez worked himself a goalscoring opportunity, only for his shot to be blocked by a Swiss defender.
Switzerland came close to extending their advantage in the 81st minute. Denis Zakaria played a low flat cross that evaded Embolo, before dropping at the feet of Fabian Rieder. Despite being in open space, Rieder's shot was collected comfortably by Luca Zidane.
No additional goals were scored before the full time whistle. Switzerland held on to their 2-0 victory and officially confirmed their progression to the Round of 16.
Up next, Switzerland will face the winner of the Colombia against Ghana fixture in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16.
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