Tuesday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup action features two games: Sweden vs. Switzerland and Colombia vs. England in the Round of 16. Check below for game reports, highlights and other key facts.
4 p.m. ET, Colombia 1, England 1; England wins penalty-kick shootout 4-3 (Final):
England can keep dreaming about “football coming home.”
After playing Colombia to a 1-1 draw Tuesday in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, England won the ensuing penalty-kick shootout 4-3 to advance to the World Cup quarterfinal and eliminate Colombia from the tournament.
The game was physical above all else, as the teams combined for 36 fouls and eight yellow cards over 120 minutes of open play. The constant disruption largely starved viewers of flowing action and clear-cut scoring chances.
However, England captain Harry Kane did manage to increase his World Cup 2018 tally to six goals in the 55th minute by converting a controversially given penalty kick.
England looked like it would succeed in holding off Colombia, judging from efforts like Juan Cuadrado’s in the 81st minute.
But Colombia dramatically tied the game four minutes into second-half stoppage time when Yerry Mina rose inside England’s penalty box and headed Cuadrado’s corner kick home.
Mina’s goal sent the game to extra time, where neither team broke the deadlock. The game then moved to a penalty-kick shootout, a format under which England had lost every time in World Cups and most of the time in European Championships.
Colombia’s first three shooters scored, and the South Americans took the lead when goalkeeper David Ospina saved Jordan Henderson’s shot in the third round of the shootout.
But Colombia relinquished the lead when Mateus Uribe hit the crossbar in the fourth round, end England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved Carlos Bacca’s fifth-round attempt. Eric Dier then stepped up and gave England its first shootout win in World Cup history.
Man of the Match: Kane won the second-half penalty kick when Carlos Sanchez pulled him down inside Colombia’s penalty area. He then converted it to take his place among his country’s pantheon of greats.
Up next: Colombia is going home. England will play Sweden at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Noon ET, Sweden 1, Switzerland 0 (Final):
Emil Forsberg picked a perfect time to make his own luck.
The Sweden winger scored the winning goal Tuesday in his team’s 1-0 victory over Switzerland in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Forsberg’s goal, his first of the World Cup, propelled Sweden into the quarterfinals for the first time since 1994 and the second time since 1958 and also eliminates Switzerland.
The game largely was a drab affair, with the teams struggling to break down each others’ defense and create meaningful scoring chances. Switzerland enjoyed more possession, but Sweden was content to absorb pressure and counter-attack.
Sweden crafted the two best opportunities early on, but Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer was on his game in the 28th minute.
Albin Ekdal wasn’t as sharp in the 40th minute.
The teams continued to plod along until fortune decided to favor Forsberg in the 67th minute. The talented playmaker ended his personal World Cup drought with this deflected strike off Manuel Akanji’s leg.
Switzerland sought the tying goal but ultimately lacked the quality in the final third of the field to beat Sweden’s dogged defense or goalkeeper Robin Olsen.
Meanwhile, Sweden continues to fly through rarefied air.
Man of the Match: Forsberg’s goal won the game and earned him MOTM honors.
Next up: Sweden will play England at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday in the quarterfinals. Switzerland is going home.
