Algeria suffered a tough 2-0 defeat against Switzerland in the Round of 32 at the BC Place in Vancouver, ending their dream of securing a spot in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
With this result, Algeria, which arrived with a middle spot in the FIFA ranking, are officially eliminated from the World Cup, bringing a close to a great tournament run where they advanced from the group stage as one of the best third-place teams following an agonizing draw against Austria.
On the other side, Switzerland earned their spot in the Round of 16, where they will face the winner of the Colombia vs. Ghana matchup and maintain their climbing spots in the FIFA ranking. The encounter is scheduled for July 7.
Switzerland’s qualification
Switzerland entered the match on a high note after claiming the top spot in their zone—spoiling the party for hosts Canada—backed by the defensive firmness of Manuel Akanji at the back and the experience of the ageless Granit Xhaka pulling the strings in midfield.
Ruben Vargas of Switzerland
The Swiss locked up the solid 2-0 victory starting with an early breakthrough in the 10th minute, when Breel Embolo struck the opening goal thanks to an assist from Johan Mazambi.
The second goal arrived right at the start of the second half in the 46th minute, courtesy of Dan Ndoye, who unleashed a medium-range shot that found the back of the net. From that moment on, Switzerland remained highly comfortable throughout the match without absorbing much damage.
Algeria pushed until the final whistle, attempting to at least equalize and force the match into extra time or penalties, but they failed to score a single goal. With the defeat, the tournament run for Riyad Mahrez’s squad officially comes to an end.
