Switzerland moved a step closer to the 2026 World Cup round of 32 on Thursday night with a 3-1 win over Bosnia in Los Angeles. Murat Yakin’s team is now almost certain to advance, and the decisive figure was substitute Johan Manzambi, who produced the match’s standout performance.
The 20-year-old Freiburg player came on and scored twice, while also playing a part in another goal, all within just 18 minutes on the pitch. Swiss media praised him as the team’s “super-sub” and described him as the player who delivered the victory.
The local coverage also questioned why Yakin continues to leave such a talent on the bench. DAZN writer Anders Weiss asked, “Why is Yakin allergic to talent?” and argued that one of world football’s biggest prospects is being kept out of the starting lineup. Blikk said Yakin’s substitution quickly changed the game and called Manzambi “the joker of the team.”
Reporter Daniel Romano was even more emphatic, writing that Manzambi is extraordinary, that “everything looks easy with him,” and that he should not sit on the bench again at this World Cup. The article frames his outing as the key reason Switzerland sealed the result and strengthened its position in the tournament.
