Switzerland beats Colombia on penalties to reach last eight

Switzerland advanced to the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years, defeating Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a tense, scoreless 120 minutes on Tuesday at BC Place in Vancouver. Substitute Ruben Vargas converted the decisive spot-kick, sending the Swiss to a last-eight clash with defending champions Argentina on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri.

The match, the final World Cup fixture to be played in Canada, was a defensive stalemate with few clear chances. Colombia, backed by a vocal majority of the 52,497 fans, carried the greater attacking threat for long periods. Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made a crucial first-half save to deny Gustavo Puerta’s curling effort in the 21st minute, while his Colombian counterpart, Camilo Vargas, stopped attempts from Fabian Rieder and Dan Ndoye.

Switzerland was forced to cope without its breakout star, 20-year-old attacker Johan Manzambi, who missed the match with a knee injury sustained in training. The Swiss managed only two shots on target across the entire contest but maintained a disciplined defensive shape to frustrate a Colombian side that had conceded just one goal in the tournament prior to the match.