Switzerland beat Colombia on penalties to reach quarter-finals

Switzerland’s World Cup campaign took a dramatic turn in Lusail on Saturday, as Gregor Kobel emerged as the hero in a tense penalty shootout that sent Colombia crashing out and booked the Swiss a quarter-final date with Argentina. The match itself was a cagey stalemate, with neither side able to break down a disciplined defensive structure, but the drama shifted to the spot-kick lottery where Kobel’s reflex save from Cucho Hernández sealed a 4-3 victory after a goalless 120 minutes.

From stalemate to shootout drama

The deadlock in Qatar was never likely to be broken in open play. Colombia, despite their attacking pedigree, struggled to find openings against a Swiss rearguard marshalled by Manuel Akanji and Nico Schlotterbeck. The South Americans enjoyed more of the ball but lacked the cutting edge in the final third, while Switzerland’s best chance fell to Xam Meson’s header in the 34th minute, which ricocheted narrowly wide. When full-time arrived with no goals, the stage was set for a nerve-shredding shootout.

Cucho Hernández stepped up first for Colombia and coolly dispatched his spot-kick, but Switzerland’s first four takers—Granit Xhaka, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Vargas, and Silvan Widmer—all found the net. It was Kobel’s moment to shine. With the shootout delicately poised at 3-3, the Colombian forward stepped forward for his second penalty of the evening. The Swiss goalkeeper guessed correctly, diving low to his left to palm the effort away and send the Swiss players sprinting towards the halfway line in celebration.

Kobel’s redemption and Colombia’s heartbreak

Kobel’s save was the defining moment of the night, but it capped a tournament where the 27-year-old has been Switzerland’s most reliable performer. The former Hoffenheim shot-stopper had already made crucial stops in the group stage against Cameroon and Serbia, and his composure under pressure in Qatar has silenced any lingering doubts about his status as the national team’s No 1. His save from Cucho was not just a reflex—it was a calculated gamble, the kind that separates elite goalkeepers from the rest.

For Colombia, the defeat is a bitter pill to swallow. Despite a strong group-stage showing, their campaign ended in disappointment, with their attacking threat neutralised by a resolute Swiss defence. The South Americans had dominated possession in the first half but lacked the precision required to breach the Swiss backline. The shootout, where they missed just one of their first four penalties, exposed a mental fragility that will linger long after the final whistle.

What comes next: Argentina await in the last eight

Switzerland’s reward for a disciplined performance is a quarter-final clash with Argentina in Doha on Friday. The Albiceleste, fresh from their dramatic penalty shootout win over the Netherlands, will arrive as firm favourites, but Murat Yakin’s side have shown they belong among the world’s best. Their defensive organisation and tactical flexibility have been key to their progress, and they will need every ounce of that resilience to overcome a talented Argentine side featuring Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, and Enzo Fernández.

The Swiss will go into the tie with confidence, knowing they have already knocked out a South American side and reached the last eight of a World Cup for the first time since 1954. Their next challenge is to maintain the same level of intensity and composure that carried them past Colombia, and if Kobel’s heroics are anything to go by, they will not be overawed by the occasion.

For Colombia, the focus must now shift to rebuilding and learning from a campaign that promised so much but delivered so little. Their exit serves as a reminder that in knockout football, penalties are the ultimate arbiters—and on Saturday, Kobel was the man who held his nerve when it mattered most.