Atlanta
Switzerland wanted a penalty shootout to dump Colombia out of the 2026 World Cup, advancing 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes.
The outcome sees the Swiss return to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954, the place they are going to play the defending champions, Argentina.
The sport was a largely tense affair with neither staff ready to capitalize on their possibilities. Both Colombia and Switzerland had alternatives to break the impasse, however the last, decisive actions have been missing.
Some pictures have been despatched nearer to the sidelines than the aim. Other occasions, lackluster crosses in essential second allowed for simple cleanup by the keepers. For the most half – particularly after the fireworks throughout Argentina-Egypt earlier in the day – it was a uninteresting affair for many of the 90 minutes.
The temper grew tense as common time ticked away, with any mistake certain to be punished by a tournament-ending aim.
The closest look in the last minutes got here when Switzerland had a chance in the 91st minute. Dan Ndoye had a half-chance in the field and scuffed his shot, sending the ball rolling broad of the Colombian web, permitting them a sigh of aid.
That proved to be the last alternative of standard time, as the whistle blew for 30 extra minutes of additional time to settle the contest.
It took solely a few minutes for controversy to strike when Colombia had a penalty enchantment denied. Jáminton Campaz received the ball previous Miro Muheim earlier than the two collided, sending the Colombian crashing to the floor. While slow-motion replays appeared to present a good case for a penalty, the referee dominated play on and a fast verify by the video assistant referee confirmed the on-field resolution.
Switzerland’s finest alternative of the sport got here in the 104th minute. On a uncommon Swiss rush, Rubén Vargas discovered himself with a transparent shot at the Colombian aim from the penalty spot. Vargas’ strike went proper at Colombian keeper Camilo Vargas, who punched it away.
A significant mistake from considered one of Switzerland’s finest gamers practically handed Colombia the lead in the second half of additional time.
Granit Xhaka failed to clear a protracted ball from Colombia, permitting Campaz to nick the ball away and break via clear on aim. Unfortunately for Colombia, and anybody hoping for a breakthrough, Campaz fired his shot far into the stands, making certain the sport remained deadlocked.
That was the final main second as the sport dragged towards penalties. Juan Fernando Quintero stepped up first for Colombia and drove his shot straight down the center to make it 1-0. Xhaka was subsequent for the opening kick for the Swiss and scored as properly, although Camilo Vargas received a hand on it. Davinson Sánchez smacked his shot off the bar, the first miss of the shootout and handing the Swiss the benefit.
Next up was Zeki Amdouni for Switzerland, who got here into the sport in its place. His penalty was slotted dwelling in the backside proper nook and his staff went up 2-1. Campaz got here subsequent, needing to rating – and he did, sliding it beneath the Swiss keeper. Manuel Akanji went subsequent for the Swiss and he soared his shot over the bar, bringing Colombia again on degree phrases, 2-2.
Cucho Hernández got here subsequent for the Colombians and had his shot extremely saved by Gregor Kobel, as the Swiss keeper dove down and to his proper. Cedric Itten got here subsequent and hit it down the center, placing his squad on the verge of the quarterfinals by making it 3-2.
Diaz wanted to rating to preserve his staff alive and he transformed, placing it in the backside left nook to make it 3-3. That meant Switzerland had one kick to win the sport, with Rubén Vargas strolling up to make historical past for his staff. He buried it in the backside left and the Swiss superior to play Argentina.
Argentina is thru to the World Cup quarterfinals after considered one of the most exceptional comebacks, scoring three late unanswered objectives to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a rollicking Round of 16 contest in Atlanta on Tuesday.
The outcome itself – the Albiceleste going via to the last eight – is just not surprising. But how they received there and the lightning-quick means they did it can stay on in historical past after 23 of the most dramatic minutes that the 2026 World Cup, or certainly any model of this match, may have provided.
The opening minutes have been comparatively evenly matched as each groups felt one another out like boxers at the begin of a significant bout. The electrical crowd in Atlanta was dominated by Argentines, although there have been a number of pockets of loud, vibrant followers clad in Egyptian crimson.
It was these followers who have been ready to rejoice first as Egypt shocked the world champions with the opening aim. In the fifteenth minute, Yasser Ibrahim rose above the Argentine protection to bury a header previous Emiliano Martínez, beautiful the Albiceleste. A superbly positioned ball from Marwan Attia unlocked the defending champions’ protection, permitting Ibrahim to outmuscle Lisandro Martínez at the essential second.
Argentina’s fortune appeared to change shortly after. A move to Nicolás Tagliafico beat the Egyptian protection earlier than he was introduced down in the field by Haissem Hassan, prompting the referee to instantly name for a penalty. Up stepped Lionel Messi, who smacked a shot low to the proper nook – bringing out a spectacular diving save by Mostafa Shobeir.
Egypt erupted into celebration as a number of gamers fell to their knees to kiss the pitch, silencing the Argentine trustworthy for the first time. It was Messi’s second penalty miss of the match.
Shobeir made one other good cease on a close-range header by Alexis Mac Allister simply after the hydration break as Argentina desperately looked for an equalizer. Messi practically struck minutes later on a long-range free kick, bending his effort over the wall and off the publish.
Shobeir denied Argentina once more 5 minutes earlier than halftime as Julián Álvarez tried to flip in a cross from Tagliafico, however the diving Egyptian keeper continued his good sport with an epic save.
The shock of the match appeared to be in the fifty fifth minute when Egypt broke away down the subject and buried what appeared to be a second aim. However, the video assistant referee (VAR) flagged a foul in the buildup and waved the aim off, stripping the Egyptians of a commanding two-goal benefit and handing the world champions a large reprieve.
Haissem Hassan had made a winding run down the Argentine proper earlier than discovering Pharaohs star Mohamed Salah. The former Liverpool winger then picked out Mostafa Ziko, who completed ably. But the play was dominated out for a foul by Marawan Attia on Lisandro Martínez at the different facet of the pitch simply as the Egyptians broke away.
In the 67th minute, Egypt lastly scored one which couldn’t be taken away to make it 2-0. Salah intercepted an Argentine assault to spark a deadly counter, sprinting down the subject earlier than choosing out Hassan. He minimize into the field and dragged a move again to Ziko, who made no mistake, rifling it dwelling to double Egypt’s lead.
From there, Argentina appeared surprised however pressed ahead to climb out of a large gap with solely minutes remaining.
The Albiceleste took an enormous step in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero continued his late-game heroics, heading dwelling a cross to make it 2-1. It was Romero who saved Argentina in the Round of 32 in opposition to Cape Verde with a header that went off a defender and into the web to seal development in opposition to the African underdogs, and his aim in opposition to Egypt gave his nation hope.
As the sport ticked towards the finish of the 90 minutes, Messi and Argentina turned the strain up to its highest potential degree. And then the second for the little genius got here.
Messi performed a ball into the field that was deflected excessive into the air and was nodded down by considered one of his teammates. The ball pinged round and Messi pounced like a tiger onto the unfastened ball.
His lashed strike was unstoppable, hitting off Shobeir’s hand, off the crossbar and over the line for the 83rd-minute equalizer.
And then in stoppage time, Argentina got here all the means again and scored a miraculous winner.
A header from Enzo Fernández, catching the Egyptians on the counterattack, sealed the most unimaginable comeback of the match and a sport that may stay in World Cup historical past.
The Argentine followers danced and sang via the last whistle and celebrated with their staff as in the event that they’d received the cup once more already, the emotions of aid and jubilation coursing via a facet that has received all of it.
Messi was named the Man of the Match, unsurprisingly, and extends his World Cup file to 21 objectives scored in the six tournaments through which he’s performed. His eight objectives in the present version have him in the lead for the match’s Golden Boot, awarded to the high scorer.
Even with all these accolades and historical past behind him, the outcome nonetheless overwhelmed Argentina’s No. 10. As his followers celebrated and sang his identify after the last whistle, tears might be seen in the eyes of considered one of the best gamers to ever step foot on a soccer pitch.
It was a second of humanity for an otherworldly participant – and echoed the tears in the eyes of Argentines all through Mercedes-Benz Stadium.