Substitute Johan Manzambi announced himself on the World Cup stage with a stunning volley and a late brace as Switzerland surged to a 4-1 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Thursday, moving into a commanding position in their group.
The 20-year-old forward broke the deadlock in the 74th minute with a superb first-time strike, before adding a second goal in the 90th minute. Between those efforts, Rubén Vargas found the net in the 84th minute after Bosnia had been reduced to 10 men following Tarik Muharemovic’s dismissal for a reckless challenge.
Also read: FIFA: Mexico beat South Korea 1-0 securing place in Round of 32
Swiss captain Granit Xhaka completed the scoring from the penalty spot with the final kick of the contest in stoppage time. Bosnia-Herzegovina managed a consolation goal through Ermin Mahmic deep into added time, keeping alive hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds in only their second World Cup appearance. For much of the match, the Dragons remained competitive against a higher-ranked Swiss side and threatened to frustrate the group favourites.
Switzerland responded impressively after last week’s disappointing 1-1 draw against Qatar. Murat Yakin’s men controlled possession and dictated the tempo against a Bosnia team that had arrived full of confidence following an unbeaten run of nine competitive matches.
Despite their dominance, the Swiss struggled to find the breakthrough until Manzambi’s moment of magic changed the complexion of the contest. The young Geneva-born attacker, who plays for German side Freiburg, made an immediate impact after entering the game.
Just three minutes after replacing the influential Dan Ndoye, Manzambi leapt brilliantly to meet Amar Memic’s attempted defensive header and volleyed the ball into the net, sparking jubilant celebrations among Switzerland supporters at SoFi Stadium.
Follow us
