Algeria crash out as Petkovic's Switzerland run the show

Algeria out, World Cup dream ends in round of 32

It is over. Switzerland 2–0 Algeria in the round of 32 and your World Cup campaign stops here (5) (10). Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye scored the goals. Vladimir Petkovic, who once coached Algeria, called the win "speziell", special (10). His Switzerland side did not give your team a real chance. The group stage drama, the Austria draw, Mahrez's emotional speech, it all leads to a flat knockout exit.

Petkovic gets the last word

Petkovic faced the team he managed for seven years and sent them home. "Sieben Jahre lang viel Freude und Vergnügen", seven years of joy and pleasure, he said afterwards (5). His Switzerland side controlled the game from the first half. Granit Xhaka ran the midfield. Johan Manzambi, Aissa Mandi's club teammate, set up Embolo's opener (6) (12). You had no answer.

The goals that ended it

Embolo put Switzerland ahead and Ndoye sealed it (10) (15). Mandi, your defensive anchor, could not stop either. Ibrahim Maza got minutes but could not turn the game. Manuel Akanji and Denis Zakaria kept things tight at the back, Algeria never really threatened. BBC had Steven Wyeth and Efan Ekoku on the call (16).

What comes next

Switzerland move on to the round of 16 (3) (6). Algeria go home. The questions start immediately, the goalkeeping situation was already a mess heading in, with Luca Zidane and Oussama Benbout both under fire and Melvin Mastil rumored for a start that never came. Mahrez, 35, may have played his last World Cup knockout match.

Fan reactions

Fans on Reddit were blunt, the performance was flat and the elimination felt predictable after the group stage escape against Austria. Most agreed Switzerland were simply the better side. One thread recapped the full night of round of 32 action, with Algeria's exit landing as the least surprising result of the three. Read the discussion.