Switzerland goes to the World Cup quarterfinals after dumping Colombia out on penalties
By Kyle Feldscher, CNN
Atlanta (CNN) — Switzerland needed a penalty shootout to dump Colombia out of the 2026 World Cup, advancing 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes.
The result sees the Swiss go back to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954, where they will play the defending champions, Argentina.
The game was a mostly tense affair with neither team able to capitalize on their chances. Both Colombia and Switzerland had opportunities to break the deadlock, but the final, decisive movements were lacking.
Some shots were sent closer to the sidelines than the goal. Other times, lackluster crosses in crucial moment allowed for easy cleanup by the keepers. For the most part – especially after the fireworks during Argentina-Egypt earlier in the day – it was a dull affair for most of the 90 minutes.
The mood grew tense as regular time ticked away, with any mistake sure to be punished by a tournament-ending goal.
The closest look in the final minutes came when Switzerland had an opportunity in the 91st minute. Dan Ndoye had a half-chance in the box and scuffed his shot, sending the ball rolling wide of the Colombian net, allowing them a sigh of relief.
That proved to be the final opportunity of regular time, as the whistle blew for 30 additional minutes of extra time to settle the contest.
It took only a couple of minutes for controversy to strike when Colombia had a penalty appeal denied. Jáminton Campaz got the ball past Miro Muheim before the two collided, sending the Colombian crashing to the ground. While slow-motion replays appeared to show a decent case for a penalty, the referee ruled play on and a quick check by the video assistant referee confirmed the on-field decision.
Switzerland’s best opportunity of the game came in the 104th minute. On a rare Swiss rush, Rubén Vargas found himself with a clear shot at the Colombian goal from the penalty spot. Vargas’ strike went right at Colombian keeper Camilo Vargas, who punched it away.
A major mistake from one of Switzerland’s best players nearly handed Colombia the lead in the second half of extra time.
Granit Xhaka failed to clear a long ball from Colombia, allowing Campaz to nick the ball away and break through clear on goal. Unfortunately for Colombia, and anyone hoping for a breakthrough, Campaz fired his shot far into the stands, ensuring the game remained deadlocked.
That was the last major moment as the game dragged toward penalties. Juan Fernando Quintero stepped up first for Colombia and drove his shot straight down the middle to make it 1-0. Xhaka was next for the opening kick for the Swiss and scored as well, even though Camilo Vargas got a hand on it. Davinson Sánchez smacked his shot off the bar, the first miss of the shootout and handing the Swiss the advantage.
Next up was Zeki Amdouni for Switzerland, who came into the game as a substitute. His penalty was slotted home in the bottom right corner and his team went up 2-1. Campaz came next, needing to score – and he did, sliding it under the Swiss keeper. Manuel Akanji went next for the Swiss and he soared his shot over the bar, bringing Colombia back on level terms, 2-2.
Cucho Hernández came next for the Colombians and had his shot incredibly saved by Gregor Kobel, as the Swiss keeper dove down and to his right. Cedric Itten came next and hit it down the middle, putting his squad on the verge of the quarterfinals by making it 3-2.
Diaz needed to score to keep his team alive and he converted, putting it in the bottom left corner to make it 3-3. That meant Switzerland had one kick to win the game, with Rubén Vargas walking up to make history for his team. He buried it in the bottom left and the Swiss advanced to play Argentina.
Argentina pulls a rabbit out of its hat
Argentina is through to the World Cup quarterfinals after one of the most remarkable comebacks, scoring three late unanswered goals to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a rollicking Round of 16 contest in Atlanta on Tuesday.
The result itself – the Albiceleste going through to the final eight – is not unexpected. But how they got there and the lightning-quick way they did it will live on in history after 23 of the most dramatic minutes that the 2026 World Cup, or indeed any version of this tournament, could have offered.
The opening minutes were relatively evenly matched as both teams felt each other out like boxers at the start of a major bout. The electric crowd in Atlanta was dominated by Argentines, though there were a few pockets of loud, vibrant fans clad in Egyptian red.
It was those fans who were able to celebrate first as Egypt shocked the world champions with the opening goal. In the 15th minute, Yasser Ibrahim rose above the Argentine defense to bury a header past Emiliano Martínez, stunning the Albiceleste. A perfectly placed ball from Marwan Attia unlocked the defending champions’ defense, allowing Ibrahim to outmuscle Lisandro Martínez at the crucial moment.
Argentina’s fortune seemed to change shortly after. A pass to Nicolás Tagliafico beat the Egyptian defense before he was brought down in the box by Haissem Hassan, prompting the referee to immediately call for a penalty. Up stepped Lionel Messi, who smacked a shot low to the right corner – bringing out a spectacular diving save by Mostafa Shobeir.
Egypt erupted into celebration as multiple players fell to their knees to kiss the pitch, silencing the Argentine faithful for the first time. It was Messi’s second penalty miss of the tournament.
Shobeir made another brilliant stop on a close-range header by Alexis Mac Allister just after the hydration break as Argentina desperately searched for an equalizer. Messi nearly struck minutes later on a long-range free kick, bending his effort over the wall and off the post.
Shobeir denied Argentina again five minutes before halftime as Julián Álvarez attempted to turn in a cross from Tagliafico, but the diving Egyptian keeper continued his brilliant game with an epic save.
The shock of the tournament appeared to be in the 55th minute when Egypt broke away down the field and buried what appeared to be a second goal. However, the video assistant referee (VAR) flagged a foul in the buildup and waved the goal off, stripping the Egyptians of a commanding two-goal advantage and handing the world champions a massive reprieve.
Haissem Hassan had made a winding run down the Argentine right before finding Pharaohs star Mohamed Salah. The former Liverpool winger then picked out Mostafa Ziko, who finished ably. But the play was ruled out for a foul by Marawan Attia on Lisandro Martínez at the other side of the pitch just as the Egyptians broke away.
In the 67th minute, Egypt finally scored one that couldn’t be taken away to make it 2-0. Salah intercepted an Argentine attack to spark a lethal counter, sprinting down the field before picking out Hassan. He cut into the box and dragged a pass back to Ziko, who made no mistake, rifling it home to double Egypt’s lead.
From there, Argentina appeared stunned but pressed forward to climb out of a massive hole with only minutes remaining.
The Albiceleste took a huge step in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero continued his late-game heroics, heading home a cross to make it 2-1. It was Romero who saved Argentina in the Round of 32 against Cape Verde with a header that went off a defender and into the net to seal advancement against the African underdogs, and his goal against Egypt gave his nation hope.
As the game ticked toward the end of the 90 minutes, Messi and Argentina turned the pressure up to its highest possible level. And then the moment for the little genius came.
Messi played a ball into the box that was deflected high into the air and was nodded down by one of his teammates. The ball pinged around and Messi pounced like a tiger onto the loose 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 came all the way back and scored a miraculous winner.
A header from Enzo Fernández, catching the Egyptians on the counterattack, sealed the most incredible comeback of the tournament and a game that will live in World Cup history.
The Argentine fans danced and sang through the final whistle and celebrated with their team as if they’d won the cup again already, the feelings of relief and jubilation coursing through a side that has won it all.
Messi was named the Man of the Match, unsurprisingly, and extends his World Cup record to 21 goals scored in the six tournaments in which he’s played. His eight goals in the current edition have him in the lead for the tournament’s Golden Boot, awarded to the top scorer.
Even with all those accolades and history behind him, the result still overwhelmed Argentina’s No. 10. As his fans celebrated and sang his name after the final whistle, tears could be seen in the eyes of one of the greatest players to ever step foot on a soccer pitch.
It was a moment of humanity for an otherworldly player – and echoed the tears in the eyes of Argentines throughout Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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