Switzerland have scored in the second half of seven of their last 10 matches
They have scored three goals immediately after HT or 2nd Half hydration breaks in this World Cup
Recommended bet: Switzerland Over 0.5 Second Half Goals @ 11/10 with LiveScore Bet
Score Prediction: Switzerland 2–1 Colombia
The World Cup dream continues for Colombia, who edged Ghana 1‑0 in Kansas City to claim the final ticket to the round of 16. But waiting for them in Vancouver on Tuesday will be a structured Swiss side with bags of energy and no shortage of flair.
Murat Yakin’s men also appear to have mastered the art of the lightning restart — scoring within seconds of the second half kicking off in their last two games.
Los Cafeteros lost starting striker Jhon Cordoba to an injury against the Black Stars and talisman James Rodriguez was hauled off at half-time, so Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo could be forced into some changes for this crucial clash.
Date, kick-off time, stadium, competition
Tuesday July 7th, 9pm (UK) at BC Place, Vancouver – World Cup 2026 round of 16
Where to Watch
ITV, STV, ITVX, STV Player
Outright Odds
Switzerland 66/1 Colombia 20/1
More market odds and predictions
Recommended bet | Stat |
|---|---|
Over 0.5 Second Half Switzerland Goals | The Swiss have scored in the second half of their last three matches |
Johan Manzambi to Score Or Assist | Manzambi has three goals and two assists in four World Cup appearances |
Luis Diaz Over 3.5 Shots | Diaz has registered four or more shots in his last three games for Colombia |
Both Teams to Score | BTTS has landed in eight of the Swiss’ last 10 and four of Colombia’s last eight games |
Richard Rios Over 1.5 Fouls Conceded | Rios has committed three fouls apiece in his last two appearances of 31 and 45 minutes |
Switzerland stay in Vancouver after a solid display against Algeria in which the Fennecs only produced two shots on target and had 15 touches on the opposition box, despite having the greater share of possession.
Yakin’s side has evolved during the tournament with a new star emerging in Yohan Manzambi.
The Freiburg star, who seems destined for a big move, had been earmarked as an impact substitute but his performances have been so good that he now looks like being one of the first names on the teamsheet.
The powerful attacking midfielder has delivered three goals and two assists in four games while his forceful runs have drawn countless fouls and opponents into card trouble.
The Swiss began in a three-man defensive set-up with wing-backs against Qatar but now seem much more comfortable in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
One aspect of their first knockout victory at a World Cup since 1938 to highlight was the quick strike by Dan Ndoye after half-time.
The goal was timed at 46 seconds into the second half and, after Ruben Vargas scored 37 seconds after the restart against Canada, it produced more history as no team in World Cup history has scored twice within the first minute of the second half in the same tournament.
As Granit Xhaka explained, it was no happy coincidence as the Swiss use half-time as a tactical reset to address what isn’t working, adjust their verticality and target early second‑half shots.
Colombia, meanwhile, tend to start slowly and build into games. Their 1‑0 win over Ghana came from a 14th‑minute strike by Jhon Arias, but they spent long stretches struggling to break down a deep block.
Los Cafeteros’ strength lies in their wide players and their ability to pick off opponents on the counter-attack — so the Swiss will have to be wary about leaving too much space behind their backline.
Diaz is a danger whenever he gets the ball around the box and seems willing to shoot on sight, having averaged four shots per game in the tournament.
Switzerland’s second‑half explosiveness and tactical clarity give them a narrow edge, but Colombia’s resilience ensures this will be tight. Expect a cagey first half followed by a Swiss surge after the break.
Team news
Switzerland have a clean bill of health after the Algeria win, although Yakin admitted Silvan Widmer had not been considered for selection because he had only just returned from a slight problem.
Denis Zakaria was preferred at right-back and he delivered a superb performance which puts him in pole position to play again on Tuesday.
Dan Ndoye also came in on the right-hand side of a 4-2-3-1 system with Manzambi in the number 10 role and Djibril Sow dropped to the bench.
The coach looks likely to stick to the formation that he deployed against Algeria with Embolo spearheading the Swiss attack again.
But Widmer, a specialist right-back, could earn a recall to look after Colombia’s left-sided star Luis Diaz with Zakaria possibly pushed into a more attacking role.
As for Colombia, Lorenzo will be forced into at least one change after Cordoba was forced off in the early stages of the win over Ghana.
Luis Suarez came on and created their goal, so looks likely to start up top with questions now also arising over Rodriguez following a poor first 45 minutes against the Black Stars.
The coach revealed that the talismanic attacker was substituted at the break for tactical reasons, which suggests he may still consider him a starter on Tuesday.
The veteran tactician may prefer to utilise Rodriguez off the bench when spaces open up, moving Arias into a more advanced role and bringing Rios in to stiffen up the midfield.
Predicted Team Line‑Ups
Switzerland (4‑2‑3‑1): Gregor Kobel; Silvan Widmer, Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez; Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler; Dennis Zakaria, Johan Manzambi, Ruben Vargas; Breel Embolo.
Colombia (4‑3‑3): Camilo Vargas; Daniel Munoz, Davinson Sanchez, Jhon Lucumi, Johan Mojica; Jefferson Lerma, Gustavo Puerta, Richard Rios; Jhon Arias, Luis Suarez, Luis Díaz.
Stats
Switzerland have scored inside the first minute of the second half in two straight matches
Both teams have scored in eight of the Swiss’ last 10 and four of Colombia’s last eight games
Luis Diaz averages 4.0 shots per game at this World Cup
Johan Manzambi has five goal contributions — a Swiss World Cup record
Richard Rios has committed eight fouls and been booked once in just 101 minutes of acyion in the tournament
Score Prediction: Switzerland 2–1 Colombia
The latest Switzerland v Colombia odds are available on LiveScore Bet
