Shafaq News- Vancouver

Switzerland reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954 after beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties following a goalless round-of-16 draw at BC Place in Vancouver.

Switzerland will face defending champions Argentina in the quarter-finals on July 11, after Lionel Messi’s side came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 earlier on Tuesday.

The match ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, with both teams unable to turn long spells of pressure into a breakthrough. Colombia carried attacking momentum for parts of the tie, especially after Juan Quintero’s introduction, but Switzerland stayed organized and took the game to penalties.

Gregor Kobel became Switzerland’s key figure. The goalkeeper made important saves during normal time before stopping Cucho Hernandez’s penalty in the shootout, giving Murat Yakin’s side the opening they needed.

Colombia also struck the crossbar through Davinson Sanchez during the shootout, while Switzerland kept enough composure to stay ahead. Ruben Vargas, who had been introduced late, stepped up to score the winning penalty and send the Swiss into the last eight.

Yakin credited Switzerland’s substitutes after the match, saying the timing of the changes helped refresh the team before the shootout. Cedric Itten, Zeki Amdouni, and Vargas all played key roles after coming on.

The result ended Colombia’s World Cup run after a match in which Nestor Lorenzo’s side created openings but could not find the finishing touch. Colombia had reached the tie after beating Ghana 1-0 in the round of 32, while Switzerland had advanced with a 2-0 win over Algeria.