Switzerland Eliminate Algeria to Reach World Cup Round of 16
For Algeria, the World Cup campaign is over. Switzerland will now face either Ghana or Colombia in the Round of 16 as the tournament continues.
Front foot start
Switzerland advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Algeria 2-0 in match played on Friday at BC Place.
Goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye secured a controlled and disciplined performance from Murat Yakin’s side, who continued their strong run in the tournament with another convincing victory.
Algeria began the match on the front foot and applied early pressure, creating the first clear opportunity when Ibrahim Maza delivered a low cross into the penalty area, but Houssem Aouar was unable to direct his effort on target.
Shortly after, Algeria appealed for a penalty when Ramiz Zerrouki went down under pressure from Manuel Akanji while chasing a through ball, but the referee allowed play to continue.
Despite Algeria’s bright start, Switzerland struck first in the 11th minute with a meaningful opening attack.
Johan Manzambi broke forward down the left flank before cutting the ball back for Breel Embolo, who finished from close range to give Switzerland the lead.
The goal shifted momentum, with Switzerland growing into the contest and controlling possession through midfield, led by Granit Xhaka. Algeria, meanwhile, continued to threaten but struggled to create clear chances in the final third.
Switzerland almost doubled their advantage before halftime when Denis Zakaria met a Ruben Vargas delivery, but his header went narrowly wide of the post.
The second half began in devastating fashion for Algeria. Just 48 seconds after the restart, Algeria failed to clear a cross from Denis Zakaria, allowing Dan Ndoye to fire a low shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Following the goal, Algeria introduced Amine Gouiri, Jaouen Hadjam, Anis Hadj Moussa and Hicham Boudaoui in an attempt to change the course of the match.
The changes added urgency, and Riyad Mahrez came closest to reducing the deficit, but his close-range effort was blocked inside the area.
Switzerland remained compact and organised defensively, limiting Algeria’s attacking threat for the remainder of the match, while Fabian Rieder missed a clear chance to extend the lead after being played through on goal.
The result extended Switzerland’s impressive tournament run, marking three consecutive World Cup victories for the first time in their history, while they have now also scored in six successive World Cup matches for the first time ever.
For Algeria, the World Cup campaign is over. Switzerland will now face either Ghana or Colombia in the Round of 16 as the tournament continues.
