The penalty shootout was dramatic, beginning with Juan Quintero's successful shot for Colombia. Granit Xhaka then equalized for Switzerland, despite goalkeeper Camilo Vargas getting a hand to the ball.

A turning point occurred during Colombia's second kick. Center-back Davinson Sanchez hit the crossbar, giving Switzerland a potential advantage. However, Manuel Akanji failed to capitalize, shooting over the bar in Switzerland's subsequent turn, which brought the teams back to level terms.

After Jaminton Campaz scored to make the shootout 2-2, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel became Switzerland's hero. He saved Cucho Hernandez's shot to the left corner. Cedric Itten then calmly shot into the middle of the goal, giving the European team a 3-2 lead.

Luis Diaz kept Colombia's hopes alive with an accurate shot in the fifth round. However, Ruben Vargas made no mistake, fooling Camilo Vargas with a low shot. This secured a 4-3 victory for Switzerland and propelled them into the quarterfinals to face Argentina.

Ruben Vargas (left) celebrates after scoring the decisive penalty, helping Switzerland defeat Colombia 4-3, following a 0-0 draw in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 match at BC Place, Vancouver, Canada on 7/7. Photo: AP

Immediately after the decisive kick, all the Swiss players rushed to embrace Ruben Vargas in a jubilant celebration. According to the BBC, the Swiss players maintained composure despite taking penalties amidst continuous booing from numerous Colombian fans in the stands.

This victory marks Switzerland's first appearance in the World Cup quarterfinals in 72 years. Their last quarterfinal appearance was at the 1954 World Cup, which they hosted. This is also the first time they have won two consecutive matches in the World Cup knockout stage. Meanwhile, Colombia missed the chance to reach the quarterfinals for the second time in their history, after 2014.

Xuan Binh