Swiss breakout star Manzambi and two others leave training ahead of World Cup clash with Colombia
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Johan Manzambi, the breakout star for Switzerland at the World Cup, left training early on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s round of 16 match against Colombia.
The team announced that Manzambi, Rubén Vargas and Djibril Sow all cut training short, without providing specifics.
“If they might not play tomorrow, it can be a huge issue for us,” coach Murat Yakin said. “We will see what happens this afternoon, because they will go through some medical examination, but this is football. You always have to adjust until the very last minute.”
The potential loss of Manzambi is a concern for the Swiss. The 20-year-old midfielder has scored three goals during the tournament, displaying a versatility that stymies opponents.
“He’s on his way to being a very, very good player,” Swiss captain Granit Xhaka said. “He’s young, the hunger is big, and, he’s very helpful for our team.”
Vargas, who plays for La Liga club Sevilla, is a key midfielder for the Swiss, with a pair of goals and an assist.
Defender Luca Jaquez, who has appeared in two matches, and midfielder Michel Aebisischer did not train and may not play, the team announced.
“Everybody wants to play. We have so many different options,” Yakin said. “If something happens it’s not going to be a disaster. I saw two very good training sessions yesterday and the day before yesterday, and I am very optimistic. This is part of football, obviously. If one day prior to a match the training session, it’s not ideal. … It’s probably going to be a little bit difficult with Johan Manzambi. I hope not. Everything is still up in the air.”
Manzambi wasn’t a starter when the World Cup began, but played his way into the role when he scored a pair of goals off the bench in Switzerland’s 4-1 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina. He became the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup game as a substitute.
He started Switzerland’s group final against Canada, scoring in the 2-1 victory.
In Switzerland’s round of 32 match against Algeria, Manzambi showed off his speed, bursting downfield before crossing to Breel Embolo for the opening goal in a 2-0 win.
“What he’s doing at his age is incredible,” said Dan Ndoye, who scored Switzerland’s other goal. “He’s an incredible player for us, and he helped us to go into the next step, you know. And I think he has a lot to improve again, but yeah, he makes us so much better, and we are really happy to have him in the team.”
Manzambi plays in the Bundesliga for Freiburg, and had a breakout club season. He had five goals and four assists in 26 starts for the club, which made a run to the Europa League final but fell to Aston Villa.
Should the Swiss win on Tuesday, they’ll be in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954.
Colombia defeated Ghana 1-0 in the round of 32. Los Cafeteros advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil before losing to the hosts 2-1. Colombia did not qualify for Qatar in 2022.
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Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press
