Switzerland 0-0 Colombia, 4-3 on penalties: Kobel and a half-fit super sub send the Swiss into the last eight

[Shane95]

The final quarterfinal place went the full distance in Vancouver and then some. Switzerland and Colombia produced a goalless 120 minutes at BC Place, cagey for ninety and only opening up in extra time when Lucumi rattled the crossbar with a close range header and Campaz blazed over, before the Swiss held their nerve to win the shootout 4-3

The shootout had everything. Davinson Sanchez smashed his kick off the crossbar, Akanji missed the frame entirely to let Colombia back in, and with it level Gregor Kobel flung himself right to keep out Cucho Hernandez and hand Switzerland the advantage. Up stepped Ruben Vargas, not fit enough to start and on from the bench, to send the keeper the wrong way and win it

For Colombia it is penalty heartache again, beaten the same way by England in 2018, and this one stings harder because they were the better side on the night, finishing with an xG of 1.03 to 0.35 and 15 attempts to 7. All that defensive excellence across the tournament, one goal conceded in open play all summer, and they exit without losing a match in normal time

Switzerland march on to match their best ever World Cup showing and the reward is enormous, Argentina in Kansas City on Sunday, fresh off their own great escape against Egypt. With Colombia gone, Messi and company are now the last South American team standing, and the quarterfinal line up is complete, France against Morocco, England against Norway, Spain against Belgium

So the questions for the board. Do Switzerland genuinely believe against a wobbling Argentina or is the grinder's road ending in Kansas City, was this Colombia side the biggest waste of a golden chance in the whole tournament given the draw they had, and which of the four quarterfinals are you clearing the diary for first?

World Cup reaction as Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties to set up quarterfinal with Argentinawww.espn.com

[Bussin99]

Colombia not losing a single match in normal time all tournament and going home is the cruellest stat of the round, penalties are a coin flip and they have now lost the toss twice in their history at this exact stage

[Gold Terry]

Kobel and the bench penalty from a half fit Vargas is exactly how Switzerland do these things, no stars, no fuss, just nerve and a goalkeeper having the night of his life, the ultimate tournament grinders strike again

[DarkMatter24]

The Hernandez save was the whole shootout, Akanji had just missed the frame completely and the pressure was fully on the Swiss, Kobel going full stretch at that moment is worth the same as any goal scored this summer

[John]

Feel for Colombia genuinely, the better side by every measure on the night, Lucumi an inch from winning it off the bar in extra time, and the margin between a quarterfinal and a flight home was literally the width of a crossbar twice

[Estuary80]

Sanchez and the crossbar in the shootout after Lucumi hit it in extra time, some nights the woodwork just decides it has picked a side and there is nothing you can do about it

[Ryan84]

This was the biggest wasted chance of the tournament and it is not close, Colombia had the defence, the form, and the softest possible route opening up, dark horses do not get draws like that twice in a generation

[BretHart]

Switzerland absolutely believe against Argentina and they should, the champions have been on the ropes three rounds running and the Swiss are built to do exactly what Egypt did, except they will not fold in the last eleven minutes

[Brandon87]

The counter view is Argentina have now survived every kind of test, a low block, a counter attacking side, and a two goal deficit, a Swiss wall does not scare a team that just walked through fire in Atlanta

[John]

Clearing the diary for France Morocco first, the 2022 semifinal rematch with Morocco fitter and France wobbling is the tie of the round, England Norway a close second purely for Kane against Haaland

[RayOfLight99]

A 24 hour break with no football on Wednesday feels almost rude after a fortnight of this, the tournament finally lets everyone breathe before four quarterfinals that all genuinely could go either way

[IdleWarden]

Spain Belgium is quietly the heavyweight tie everyone is sleeping on, five clean sheets against the team that just put four past the hosts with their best players rested, someone unbeatable meets someone unstoppable