Copy of Ahead of Argentina test, Switzerland will look to ...

Minutes after Switzerland had secured their passage to the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, manager Murat Yakin sought his captain, Granit Xhaka. For a few moments, the pair stood together on the pitch, locked in a tight embrace as Xhaka's tears flowed. While the sound of Gala's "Freed From Desire" boomed around BC Place Vancouver in Canada, the prevailing emotion for Yakin and Xhaka seemed to be relief. At a tournament that has served a veritable smorgasbord of on-field drama, this -- an attritional 0-0 draw with Colombia -- was no World Cup classic. But having triumphed on penalties to reach the last eight for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1954, nobody of a Swiss persuasion will care a jot. Up against a heavily favored Colombia side and in front of a predominantly South American crowd, Yakin's side dug in their heels and got the job done. In doing so, Switzerland set up a clash with reigning champions Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday. Lionel Scaloni's team have -- for good reasons and bad -- been the biggest entertainers so far at this summer's tournament, having scored three goals in all but one of their five games. Switzerland, by contrast, have only scored more than two goals on one occasion (a 4-1 group stage win over Bosnia-Herzegovina). However, their ability to grind out results -- and Argentina's clear fallibility in Tuesday's 3-2 comeback win over Egypt -- should offer hope that they can defy expectations to reach the semifinals for the first time in their history. "You're kind of in the flow and don't quite know what to take in," Yakin told Swiss broadcaster SRF after the game. "It took an incredible fight. Cleverness and patience, too. And then, in the penalty shootout at the end, we finally broke the curse. I'm incredibly happy for everyone -- the players, the staff, and the fans at home. Just unbelievable emotions. The feeling during the decisive penalty is fantastic, indescribable." Switzerland's win is not just a victory for Yakin's side but also for UEFA, with six of this year's eight quarterfinalists hailing from Europe. It is the highest number of European nations to reach the last eight at a World Cup outside of the continent since 1994, when the tournament was last hosted by the United States. It is a feat made more impressive by this summer's tournament expansion, which has increased the number of participating nations from 32 to 48. In 2022, for example, 40% of the participating nations were European (13 of 32), with 62% reaching the quarter-finals (five out of eight). By contrast, just 33% of the teams competing at the 2026 come from Europe (16 of 48), but a whopping 75% (six out of eight) have made it to the last eight. With all three host nations (United States, Mexico and Canada) having crashed out in the round of 16, Switzerland's next opponents, Argentina, are CONMEBOL's sole remaining representative, while Morocco is the last African nation at the tournament. Switzerland, though, will be well aware they must improve if they are to have any chance of boosting UEFA's representation in the semifinals. Tuesday's contest was a cagey one, although Colombia arguably shaded it in terms of chances. The two teams' combined expected goals (xG) value at the end of 90 minutes was just 0.7 -- the lowest in normal time of any match at this summer's tournament -- while Switzerland's last shot on target of the match came in the 32nd minute. The game ended as the third-lowest xG World Cup match on record (since 1966). Colombia came close to winning it in extra time, with Jhon Lucumí's header hitting the crossbar before a long-range effort from substitute Jáminton Campaz forced Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel into a crucial save. Kobel's heroics continued into the shootout, where he pulled off a magnificent stop to deny Cucho Hernández after Colombia's Davinson Sánchez and Switzerland's Manuel Akanji had both failed to hit the target. For Colombia, it meant more penalty shootout heartbreak following their 2018 round of 16 exit at the hands of England. For Switzerland, their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout victory means that, regardless of what happens against Argentina, this is already a summer to remember, with the team having won two knockout matches at the same World Cup for the first time. "I'm extremely proud of the team," Xhaka told SRF. "It was an incredible display of mental fortitude. Willpower won. We've made history -- it's an unbelievable feeling. The relief makes us very proud. We've been waiting for a long time to write a story like this. Now the journey continues, and we're happy to still be here. I think it's the crowning achievement of the current generation. Hopefully, there will be another one; it's a special generation." While it was not the most exhilarating of performances, Switzerland's desire and tenacity has handed them the chance to write another chapter in their World Cup story. But with Lionel Messi and the world champions up next, this special Swiss generation need to deliver the performance of their lives.