Switzerland
Algeria
Round of 32 · Friday 3 July, 04:00 BST · BC Place, Vancouver
There's a proper subplot running through this one. Vladimír Petković spent seven years building this Switzerland side before stepping down in 2021 and handing the keys to Murat Yakin. Now he's on the opposite bench trying to knock them out. He knows this Swiss midfield and defensive structure better than almost anyone, and Algeria qualified in genuinely dramatic fashion, with Mahrez's late equaliser against Austria followed by Kalajdzic's last-kick winner to send them through. Neither of these sides is done yet.
Switzerland — Nati
Gregor Kobel should start in goal behind a back four of Ricardo Rodríguez, Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji and Silvan Widmer. Remo Freuler and Granit Xhaka look set to sit as the double pivot, with Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi either side of a central attacking midfielder behind Breel Embolo up top.
Widmer at right-back is a known concern. Yakin has already tried Zakaria and Jaquez there during the group stage, which tells you he's not fully settled on the solution. Miro Muheim at left-back has some slight discomfort too, so confirm both before the game. The bigger conversation ahead of this one is the central midfield supporting role: Aebischer was rested against Canada due to the ground he covers, and I'd expect him to come back in here rather than Sow keeping the shirt. Manzambi has been the breakout player of the tournament and that attacking three looks settled regardless of who sits alongside Freuler and Xhaka. Vargas has done enough to edge ahead of Rieder on the left, though neither has made the position definitively his own.
Algeria — Les Fennecs
Luca Zidane should start in goal behind a back four of Rayan Aït-Nouri, Aïssa Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini and Rafik Belghali. Farès Chaïbi and Nabil Bentaleb look set to sit as the pivot, with Houssem Aouar, Ibrahim Maza and Riyad Mahrez in the three behind Amine Gouiri up top.
Petković made something of a statement before the Austria game by benching both Aït-Nouri and Zidane, and it had the feel of a wake-up call. Both are expected to be back in the XI here, but the Aït-Nouri versus Adam Hadjam debate at left-back remains genuinely close. Mohamed Amoura is unlikely to feature, still recovering from the injury he picked up, which puts more of the attacking burden on Mahrez. He was absolutely exceptional in that Austria finish, pressing, fighting, and then providing the assist for the equaliser. If Mahrez can come close to that level again, Algeria have the tools to make life very uncomfortable for Switzerland.
Predicted Lineups
Key Battle
Johan Manzambi vs Algeria's advancing full-backs. Manzambi has been the surprise of this Swiss campaign, and he'll look to exploit the space behind Aït-Nouri and Belghali every time they push forward. Algeria's full-back-heavy system creates chances going forward but leaves gaps behind, and Manzambi running at a back-tracking defender is exactly how Switzerland have been creating problems all tournament.
Prediction
The Opta supercomputer makes this effectively a coin toss, with Switzerland at around 44% to win inside 90 minutes and Algeria at roughly 28%, with the draw at 28%, making it the tightest match of the three today. This is historically notable too: neither Switzerland nor Algeria has ever advanced beyond a World Cup knockout round in the modern era, so one of those records ends here. I think Switzerland's defensive organisation and Manzambi's form give Yakin's side the edge, but Algeria's quality through Mahrez means it probably won't be straightforward.
Switzerland 2–1 Algeria — Manzambi, Embolo — Mahrez