INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Switzerland found its spark in the second half and rode a breakout performance from 20-year-old Johan Manzambi to a convincing 4-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday at SoFi Stadium, moving to the top of Group B at the FIFA World Cup.
The Freiburg midfielder scored twice after coming off the bench, earning Superior Player of the Match honors and helping Switzerland turn a tense, scoreless contest into a rout before a crowd in Inglewood.
After opening the tournament with a draw against Qatar, Switzerland needed a win to strengthen its position in the group standings. Thanks to a tactical adjustment by head coach Murat Yakin and a devastating late surge, the Swiss delivered exactly that.
“We needed to be patient today,” Manzambi said afterward. “But we’re a good team and I think we showed that today. Yes, it’s probably the best moment of my career so far.”
For much of the opening half, neither side was able to create sustained attacking pressure. Bosnia and Herzegovina appeared organized defensively and frustrated a Swiss side that struggled to find space in the final third.
The match changed dramatically after the hydration break in the second half.
Yakin introduced fresh attacking options, including Manzambi, and the move paid immediate dividends. In the 74th minute, the young midfielder latched onto a pass and unleashed a powerful first-time strike that gave Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj no chance.
“It was important to have all the energy on the pitch today and to find solutions,” Yakin said. “We chose to wait until the hydration break to make our tactical changes, so the opponent didn't have a chance to react. We brought fast players and after the opponent already ran a lot, we got spaces, and we were able to convincingly decide the match.”
Bosnia’s hopes of mounting a response suffered another blow when defender Tarik Muharemovic was sent off for bringing down Breel Embolo as the Swiss forward broke clear on goal.
With the numerical advantage, Switzerland took control.
Substitute Ruben Vargas doubled the lead in the 84th minute with a composed right-footed finish after a swift attacking move. Six minutes later, Vargas turned provider, slipping a pass to Manzambi, who calmly finished for his second goal of the afternoon and a 3-0 Swiss advantage.
Bosnia managed a late consolation goal when Ermin Mahmic hammered home a powerful strike in stoppage time to cut the deficit to 3-1. Any lingering suspense disappeared moments later when Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka converted a penalty in the seventh minute of added time to complete the 4-1 victory.
Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez lamented his team's collapse after competing evenly for much of the match.
“Up until the hydration break, we were the better team,” Barbarez said. “We were playing well and put pressure on them. Switzerland has very good individual players who are capable of using spaces. They punished us heavily.”
The victory leaves Switzerland with four points through two matches and level with Canada atop Group B, though the Canadians hold the edge on goal difference. Bosnia and Herzegovina remains on one point and will need a result in its final group match to keep its hopes of advancing alive.
Manzambi’s performance also secured a place in Swiss World Cup history. At 20 years, 247 days old, he became the youngest player ever to score multiple goals in a World Cup match for Switzerland and the first Swiss player to score more than once in a World Cup game after entering as a substitute.
For a Swiss team seeking a deep run in the tournament, Thursday’s breakthrough from one of its youngest stars could prove to be a defining moment.