Colombia capitalizes on Switzerland’s penalty miss in shootout

Football, at its cruelest, comes down to a single moment. On July 7, 2026, that moment belonged to Gregor Kobel.

The Swiss goalkeeper dived to his right and stopped Cucho Hernández’s spot kick at BC Place in Vancouver, keeping the penalty shootout level at 2-2 before Switzerland eventually converted enough to win 4-3 and advance to the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.

Colombia had battled through 90 minutes of regulation and an additional 30 of extra time without either side finding the net.

How the shootout unfolded

The sequence of penalties was tight all the way through. Both sides converted their first two attempts, setting the stage for Hernández’s crucial third kick.

Kobel read the Colombian striker’s run-up and committed early enough to get across. The save was clean, shifting momentum immediately.

Switzerland held their nerve from that point, converting the kicks that mattered and closing out a 4-3 victory in the shootout.

On the Colombian side, James Rodríguez was the creative heartbeat the team leaned on, looking for openings in a Swiss defensive structure that sat deep and was disciplined throughout. Luis Díaz caused problems on the flanks when given space, but Switzerland’s backline, anchored by Manuel Akanji, managed the threat well. The presence of Luis Suárez added experience and hold-up play, though Switzerland’s defenders gave him little room to operate.

Switzerland’s defensive blueprint

Granit Xhaka’s role in Switzerland’s setup was as important defensively as it was in controlling tempo. Breel Embolo pressed intelligently and made life difficult for Colombia’s center-backs in transition.

For Colombia, this exit stings in a particular way. James Rodríguez, for all his brilliance, could not find the unlocking pass or the moment of individual quality that changes a knockout tie. Hernández’s missed penalty will replay in Colombian football memory for years.

Colombia’s presence in the Round of 16 was itself a milestone, representing the nation’s continued push to establish itself among South America’s elite World Cup performers.

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