The hype around Johan Manzambi will only heighten after his star turn from the substitutes’ bench helped Switzerland out of a hole. got their World Cup truly up and running. The 20-year-old managed to excel despite Freiburg’s comprehensive Europa League final defeat against Aston Villa last month and, with 73 minutes gone. 166 seconds after entering as part of a transformative triple substitution here, his superb volley put an end to a sterile contest, hooking a right-foot shot into the Bosnia and Herzegovina net.
Until that point Switzerland had another eight fruitless shots to file with the 26 they mustered in their disappointing opening draw against Qatar. their sole goal a Breel Embolo penalty. Things kept unravelling in the final third. But Manzambi brought great poise. scored twice, his first when he lashed Amar Memic’s headed clearance past Nikola Vasilj and the second understated but sumptuous. It was also Manzambi’s feathery pass that released Embolo on goal, prompting the defender Tarik Muharemovic to lunge in. leave Bosnia and Herzegovina with 10 men, before Rubén Vargas and Granit Xhaka, with the final kick, completed the scoring.
Ermin Mahmic grabbed a consolation in stoppage time. thumping in an unstoppable volley after a corner was only half-cleared, his strike clocked at 71mph according to the wraparound LED screen. Xhaka capped the scoring from the penalty spot after Memic tripped Djibril Sow, another substitute. Manzambi was involved in the buildup to Switzerland’s second goal. too, Vargas, who also came off the bench, sending a low first-time strike past Vasilj.
“It’s probably the best moment of my career so far,” Manzambi said of his player of the match performance. “We had to be patient but we’re a good team and I think we showed that.”
The game had been set up for Edin Dzeko, aged 40. 63 days, to take centre stage after becoming the ninth-oldest player to feature at a World Cup but Bosnia and Herzegovina’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stage of the tournament now hinge on Wednesday’s final Group B game against Qatar. Switzerland are in a position of power before meeting the co-hosts Canada on the same day. A grey day in Los Angeles meant no searing temperatures to contend with but nevertheless the first-half hydration break provided Bosnia. Herzegovina with some welcome respite. Other than a couple of early set pieces – Bosnia. Herzegovina’s specialist subject – Switzerland, and particularly Dan Ndoye, had given Sergej Barbarez’s side the runaround.
It felt slightly alarming that. with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, Nikola Katic celebrated winning a goal-kick after staving off another Swiss attack, even if the Schalke defender has form for doing so; he celebrated every tackle when he lost a tooth in Plymouth’s shock triumph over Liverpool in the FA Cup last year. A few moments earlier Bosnia. Herzegovina had their first sight of goal after Kerim Alajbegovic fed Dzeko inside the box. Dzeko stood up a dainty cross towards the back post, where Benjamin Tahirovic recorded a swing and a miss. Approaching the interval, Remo Freuler blocked Dzeko’s first shot after a bright run by Alajbegovic.
Presumably Switzerland’s struggles to again apply the finishing touch flowed through their minds as they headed down the tunnel at half-time. None of this should have surprised Switzerland, though, with Bosnia. Herzegovina stubborn opponents; Barbarez’s side had drawn their past six matches, including their two penalty shootout victories in playoffs against Wales and Italy to reach this stage. This represented their first defeat since losing to Austria last September.
The game continued in a similar theme, promising attacks coming undone in the final action. Manuel Akanji pinged a ball from right to left, Ndoye picked up the baton. sent another tame shot at goal.
Until Manzambi’s arrival, Ndoye produced one of the game’s best moments, sending an overhead kick at goal. He could only look to the skies after Vasilj got two hands to his effort. any joy would have been short-lived with the Nottingham Forest winger flagged offside by the assistant referee.
If Switzerland were going to score, Ndoye looked the most likely candidate. Amar Dedic took matters into his own hands to stop Ndoye streaming down the left early in the second half. earning a booking for tugging at the winger’s shirt. Bosnia’s record goalscorer Dzeko was withdrawn soon after being given a yellow card for catching Akanji late.
Then it was over to an up-and-coming talent to finally ripple the net. “He learned how to play on the streets,” Switzerland’s head coach, Murat Yakin, said of Manzambi.
“He needs to be more structured, but he is making headway with that. He puts a lot of pressure on opponents. he can even surprise us as well as opponents with what he can do.”
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