Switzerland accounts for Algeria to get into the round of 16

The Swiss team beat Algeria (2-0) this Thursday to advance to the round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup being held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, a performance led by the powerful Johan Manzambi although the goals, one in each half, were from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye.

Murat Yakin’s men had a peaceful crossing at the BC Place Stadium in Vancouver (Canada) to meet Colombia or Ghana. Algeria disappointed the African dream in the World Cup, weak in defense and without offensive projection, punished by a Switzerland that surpassed a tournament eliminator for the first time since 1938.

Manzambi, leader of the Swiss team at 20 years old, did not take long to ride one on one without brakes, as at 10 minutes he crossed the baseline to give Embolo a 1-0 lead. Algeria collapsed even though they had started well, looking for the opponent’s back and also with pressure from above, until a very clear chance from Riyad Mahrez.

Yakin’s men put fear into the desert foxes’ bodies with a Manzambi that generated more chances for his team, finding spaces against a disorganized rival defense. Before the break, Vladimir Petkovic’s team seemed to react, or at least come out of the cave, but the time in the locker room did not suit them at all, with the score being 2-0 one minute after the restart.

The innocent clearances by the Algerian defense after a Swiss action on the right wing ended in Ndoye’s second in Vancouver. Petkovic took a while to move the bench, but Algeria managed to get into the game with a very clear shot from Mahrez in the 50th minute. Switzerland could have sentenced it, Rubén Vargas and also, very clearly, Fabian Rieder had it, but their team did not regret it.

In fact, Yakin gave Manzambi a rest from the 70th minute and Algeria’s changes only served to leave a few farewell kicks, surpassed by the stage and without altering Switzerland’s comfortable path to the round of 16, for the sixth time in its last seven World Cups in this round, although pending at the end of more problems on the right wing with the possible injury of Denis Zakaria.

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: SWITZERLAND, 2 – ALGERIA, 0. (1-0, at halftime).

–ALIGNMENTS.

SWITZERLAND: Kobel; Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Zakaria (Widmer, min.87), Freuler, Manzambi (Okafor, min.71), Xhaka; Embolo (Amdouni, min.83), Ndoye (Aebischer, min.87) and Vargas (Rieder, min.71).

ALGERIA: Zidane; Mandi, Ait-Nouri, Belghali (Boulbina, min.82), Bensebaini; Zerrouki (Gouiri, min.58), Aouar (Hadjam, min.58), Chaibi, Bentaleb (Boudaoui, min.71), Maza; Mahrez (Hadj Moussa, min.71).

–GOALS:

1 – 0, min.10, Embolo.

2 – 0, 46 min., Who.

–REFEREE: Falcón Pérez (ARG). He cautioned Chaibi (min.36) and Boudaoui (min.72) in Algeria.

–STADIUM: BC Place Stadium, Vancouver (Canada).