A masterclass in late acceleration saw Switzerland take absolute control of their group with a clinical 4-1 demolition of resilient Bosnia and Herzegovina at a packed SoFi Stadium on Thursday night.In front of a raucous crowd of 70,026, mostly dominated by tens of thousands of passionate, screaming Bosnian fans, the Swiss were frustrated for a long time. Coming into the clash under pressure after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Qatar last week, Switzerland dominated possession but lacked the clinical edge to break down the highly motivated Dragons, who came into the match riding the wave of a nine-game unbeaten run.The scenario changed dramatically in the 74th minute, thanks to tactical mastery. Just three minutes after replacing prominent winger Dan Ndoye, 20-year-old Geneva-born substitute Johan Manzambi produced a moment of pure magic. Anticipating Amar Memic’s header, the star from Freiburg launched himself into the air and scored an outrageous shot, sending the nervous Swiss contingent into absolute delirium.Things went from bad to worse for Bosnia shortly after when Tarik Muharemović was shown a straight red card for a reckless, dangerous tackle. With 10 men, the Bosnian defense completely disintegrated under the merciless onslaught of the Swiss.In the 84th minute, Rubén Vargas doubled the lead with a sharp finish. Manzambi then put the result beyond doubt in the 90th minute, scoring his second goal of the night after Vargas brilliantly set up a pinpoint pass.Bosnia managed to take a brief consolation deep into second-half stoppage time when Ermin Mahmić hit the net in the 94th minute, rewarding the jubilant Dragons fans who cheered for every minor victory on the pitch. However, the veterans had the final say. With the last kick of the game in stoppage time, Swiss captain Granit Xhaka coolly converted the penalty, sealing a convincing 4-1 win.Despite the tough result, Bosnia and Herzegovina remain alive with a legitimate chance of reaching the knockout stages in just their second ever World Cup appearance, but they must win their final group game against Qatar after struggling in the second half with their higher-ranked opponents. As for Switzerland, the late flurry signals that they have finally kicked into gear when it matters most.
