World Cup 2026: Switzerland end 88-year knockout curse with victory over Algeria

Switzerland secured their first FIFA World Cup knockout victory in 88 years after defeating Algeria 2-0 in Vancouver to book a place in the Round of 16.

The Swiss side, who had suffered elimination in each of their previous seven World Cup knockout matches, finally ended their long-standing struggles at this stage of the competition with a composed display against the North Africans.

Goals from Breel Embolo in the first half and Nottingham Forest winger Dan Ndoye shortly after the restart proved enough to send Murat Yakin’s side through to the next round, where they will meet either Ghana or Colombia.

Algeria start brightly but struggle to break through

Algeria began the match with energy and purpose as they looked to continue their impressive World Cup campaign.

The Desert Foxes threatened early through Houssem Aouar and Ibrahim Maza, but Switzerland remained organised defensively and gradually settled into the contest.

Much of Algeria’s attacking hopes centred around former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, although the experienced forward found little room to influence the game as Switzerland kept him under close control throughout the evening.

The breakthrough arrived in the 10th minute when Breel Embolo finished calmly after being picked out by Johan Manzambi to hand Switzerland the lead.

Ndoye strike seals historic Swiss triumph

Switzerland tightened their grip on the game almost immediately after the restart.

Dan Ndoye reacted quickest to a loose ball outside the penalty area before producing a clinical finish beyond Luca Zidane to double the advantage and leave Algeria with a mountain to climb.

From that point, the Europeans controlled much of the encounter and rarely looked troubled as Algeria struggled to create clear opportunities in the second half.

The Swiss nearly added a third goal late in the game, but substitute Fabian Rieder somehow failed to convert from close range in what was otherwise a comfortable night for Yakin’s men.

Switzerland await Ghana or Colombia

The victory sends Switzerland into the Round of 16, where they will face the winner of the knockout clash between Ghana and Colombia on Tuesday in Vancouver.

For Algeria, the defeat brings an end to a spirited World Cup journey that saw the North African side reach the knockout stage for only the second time in their history