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With this win, Switzerland's tournament record now stands at three victories and a single draw. Algeria, on the other hand, wraps up its campaign with one win, one draw, and two defeats.
How the Goals Came About
The breakthrough arrived early, in the 10th minute, when Johan Manzambi surged forward with a strong individual run before squaring the ball to Breel Embolo, who had the simplest of finishes to tap it home. Switzerland carried that advantage into the break, and although chances came their way before halftime, the scoreline stayed at 1-0.
The second half barely had time to settle before Switzerland doubled their lead. Algerian defender Rafik Belghali failed to clear his lines properly inside the box, and Dan Ndoye pounced on the loose ball. Staying calm under pressure, Ndoye steadied himself and drilled a finish into the bottom corner, making it 2-0 within the opening minute of the restart.
Standout Performers From Both Sides
Dan Ndoye walked away with the Man of the Match honors after his clinical second-half strike, earning an 8 out of 10 for his overall display. Several of his teammates also had strong outings: Ricardo Rodriguez, Manuel Akanji, Denis Zakaria, Granit Xhaka, Johan Manzambi, Ruben Vargas, and goalscorer Breel Embolo each picked up a 7. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, Nico Elvedi, and Remo Freuler were rated 6, while substitutes Fabian Rieder, Noah Okafor, Zeki Amdouni, Michel Aebischer, and Silvan Widmer all received ratings between 5 and 6 for their limited impact off the bench.
For Algeria, defender Rayan Ait-Nouri was the shining light, grading out at 7 despite the loss. Aissa Mandi, Rafik Belghali, Nabil Bentaleb, Fares Chaibi, Houssem Aouar, and Riyad Mahrez each settled for a 6, while Luca Zidane, Ramy Bensebaini, and Ramiz Zerrouki managed a 5. Among the substitutes, Jaoquen Hadjam impressed with a 7 rating, Hicham Boudaoui and Anis Hadj Moussa scored 6, and Amine Gouiri, along with Adil Boulbina, rounded things out at 5.
Switzerland now turns its attention to the Round of 16 clash on July 7, aiming to build on this confident performance, while Algeria heads home reflecting on a tournament that ultimately fell just short.
