Switzerland vs. Costa Rica final score, recap: Wild 2-2 draw enough for Swiss to advance
For 90 minutes, Switzerland and Costa Rica exchanged scoring opportunities, frisky attacks, and countless missed chances at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in an entertaining back-and-forth match that came down to an 88th minute go-ahead goal, an overturned penalty kick decision, and a stoppage time, game-tying penalty-kick goal that only counted because the ball deflected off the crossbar and Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s head before rolling into the net.
Due to what unfolded at Spartak Stadium between Serbia and Brazil, what happened between Switzerland and Costa Rica didn’t ended up mattering much.
On Wednesday, Switzerland and Costa Rica battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw that involved two goals in the final minutes. The result was enough for Switzerland to gain entrance into the knockout stages of the World Cup. Even if Switzerland had lost, though, it would’ve advanced past the group stage due to Brazil’s 2-0 win over Serbia, which vaulted Brazil to the top of Group E and secured Switzerland’s position in second above Serbia.
Switzerland lines up to face Sweden in the Round of 16 on Tuesday.
Switzerland entered the match tied with Brazil with four points and one point ahead of Serbia. Against a point-less Costa Rica team that had nothing to play for (except the chance to win a World Cup game), Switzerland, only needing a win or a draw to advance, held a vast majority of the possession, but failed to capitalize by creating the kind of scoring chances that Costa Rica generated with only a minor share of the ball.
Switzerland survived an early flurry with Sommer making two key saves on Joel Campbell and Celso Borges in a span of seconds to deny Costa Rica of a goal in the opening 10 minutes and the crossbar making an equally crucial save on another shot from distance. Switzerland was on the ropes early, controlling most of the possession, but looking vulnerable against Costa Rica’s assault.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cd3rC4F0ah0
