The Swiss national team broke the deadlock on Thursday against a tough Bosnia and Herzegovina side, which lost control of the game in the second half, with a brace from Johan Mamzambi and two additional goals from Rubén Vargas and Granit Xhaka, resulting in a 4-1 victory that gave the Swiss the provisional lead in Group B of the 2026 World Cup.
Switzerland broke the deadlock in Los Angeles in the 74th minute, when a header cleared by the defense fell to Johan Manzambi, who opened the scoring after a frustrating first half marked by a lack of finishing. Switzerland’s dominance was cemented in the final stretch of the match thanks to the effectiveness of its attacking players in the opponent’s box.
Manzambi and Vargas Seal the Deal Against Bosnia in a Devastating Finish
In the 84th minute, Rubén Vargas, a forward for Sevilla, scored the second goal with a superb finish as the goalkeeper came off his line.
The decisive goal came in the 90th minute, when Manzambi popped up again to score his second goal of the game off a precise assist from Vargas himself.
Bosnia managed to salvage the result in stoppage time thanks to the persistence of its attacking line.
In the 93rd minute, Ermin Mahmic took advantage of a defensive lapse to score his team’s only goal.
However, Granit Xhaka provided the icing on the cake in the 96th minute.
The opening minutes at Los Angeles Stadium felt relatively long for both teams.
It turned into a very evenly matched game with plenty of scoring chances at both ends (Filed under: Switzerland vs. Bosnia).
Bosnia pushed Switzerland to the limit
The team’s initial approach on the field reflected a distinctly European style.
Characterized by precision down to the millimeter and rigorous tactical planning on the part of the coaches.
The Bosnians stepped up the pressure toward the end of the first half, trying to take the lead before halftime.
From the stands, Bosnia’s boisterous fans cheered nonstop.
Shaking structures that at times seemed on the verge of collapsing.
Switzerland could be pleased with its performance, in which it was far superior to its opponent.
But I’m also a little frustrated with the level of performance they showed.
Especially considering that they were hungry for a goal after the bitter and unexpected draw against Qatar (Filed under: Switzerland vs. Bosnia).
The changes shook up Switzerland and turned the game around
Just ten minutes after the second half resumed, what was perhaps the clearest scoring chance of the match came in the 55th minute.
Following a precise lobbed pass from the edge of the penalty area.
Swiss player Dan Ndoye connected on a spectacular bicycle kick that pushed the opposing goalkeeper to his limits; he managed to save the ball to keep the score unchanged.
The second half became much more interesting as Switzerland doubled the number of passes they attempted, although Bosnia took control of the game.
And he was much more aggressive on the field in an effort to gain the upper hand.
In the 68th minute, the Swiss goalkeeper emerged as the hero by making a superb save on a dangerous shot that could have changed the course of the game.
However, the changes proved beneficial for the Swiss team at a time when a goal was long overdue on the field.
The reward came in the form of the first goal just one minute after the substitutions.
Bosnia was down to ten players and fell apart
Shortly after the opening goal, Bosnia’s last line of defense completely collapsed following Tarik Muharemovic’s ejection.
A red card that seriously weakened their lineup.
This numerical advantage put the Swiss national team on the verge of sealing a 2-0 victory in the final minutes of the match.
Although Vargas eventually managed to make it happen.
With this result, Switzerland takes the provisional lead, pending the outcome of the later match between Canada and Qatar (Filed under: Switzerland vs. Bosnia).
Switzerland could be satisfied with its performance
NuevaOnda.com
Technical Specifications
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4 – Switzerland: Gregor Kobel, Silvan Widmer (86′, Luca Jaquez), Niko Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez, Michel Aebischer (72′, Djibril Sow), Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka, Fabian Rieder (72′, Rubén Vargas), Breel Embolo (86′, Cedric Itten), and Dan Ndoye (72′, Johan Manzambi).
Coach: Murat Yakin
1 – Bosnia and Herzegovina: Nikola Vasilj, Amar Dedic, Nikola Katic, Tarik Muharemovic, Sead Kolasinac, Benjamin Tahirovic (64′, Ivan Basic), Ivan Sunjic (86′, Amir Hadziahmetovic), Amar Memic, Ermedin Demirovic (86′, Jovo Lukic), Edin Dzeko (64′, Esmir Bajraktarevic), and Kerim Alajbegovic (93′, Ermin Mahmic).
Coach: Sergej Barbarez
Goals: 1-0, 74′: Johan Manzambi; 2-0, 84′: Rubén Vargas; 3-0, 90′: Johan Manzambi; 3-1, 93′: Ermin Mahmic; 4-1, 96′: Granit Xhaka.
Referee: Joao Pedro Pinheiro (Portugal). He issued yellow cards to Amar Dedic and Edin Dzeko of Bosnia, and to Niko Elvedi of Switzerland. He sent off Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia.
Match Details: A Group B match of the 2026 World Cup at Los Angeles Stadium, which has a capacity of 70,000 fans. This was the second match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. There were two water breaks, one in each half.
With information from EFE
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