AlgeriavsSwitzerland
ALG 0/SUI 2
Things to say
Switzerland beat Algeria 2-0 at BC Place to take all three points.
01
opener
Switzerland handled Algeria 2-nil, never really in doubt. Clean sheet, controlled the whole thing. Algeria huffed and puffed but couldn't find the net.
02
key player
Akanji was everywhere at the back — 62 accurate passes and 13 defensive interventions. Absolute rock, ran the whole backline.
03
hot take
Two-nil flatters Algeria if anything. They had nothing up top, and Zidane's kid in goal kept it from being a proper paddling.
04
deep cut
Kobel barely had to work — two saves for the clean sheet. Meanwhile Maza was Algeria's only real threat with three shots and none of them stung anyone.
05
exit
Swiss look organized heading into the next round. We'll see if that grinds out against a side that actually presses.
The recap
Switzerland handled their business at BC Place, seeing off Algeria 2-0 to bag the clean sheet and the three points. Denis Zakaria and company controlled the tempo while Manuel Akanji was everywhere at the back, breaking things up 13 times and keeping Algeria's attack toothless.
Ibrahim Maza had a few looks for Algeria but couldn't test Gregor Kobel enough to matter, and once the Swiss got their noses in front there was never a sense they'd let it slip. Comfortable, professional, job done.