Switzerland secured safe passage to the knockout stages despite being held to a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica.
Costa Rica, going into this game the only side not to have scored in Russia so far this summer, started with a spring in their step, with Yann Sommer impressing to keep Joel Campbell and Celso Borges out before Daniel Colindres struck the bar, all inside the opening ten minutes.
Sunderland’s Bryan Oviedo also tried his luck, but it was the Swiss who opened the scoring.
After new Arsenal man Stephan Lichtsteiner was released down the right, Breel Embolo did well to head his cross down into the path of midfielder Dzemalili, who thumped home to send Switzerland top of the group as things stood.
Oscar Ramirez’s side started the second half well, with their front three again causing problems for the Swiss back line.
While they looked energetic the breakthrough came from a set piece when Arsenal’s Campbell swung in a corner for Waston, back in the side having sat out the Brazil game, rose to head home and give the Costa Rican fans something to celebrate, scoring their first World Cup goal since a round of 16 game against Greece in Brazil four years ago.
From there things ticked along nicely, Costa Rica already out and Switzerland safe in the knowledge they’d be in the knockout rounds, until substitute Drmic found space in the area and rolled home a fine finish, seemingly securing all three points.
It was another Swiss substitute, however, who was to hand Ruiz the chance to level things up. Denis Zakaria tripped Campbell before Ruiz stepped up and watched as his penalty clattered the crossbar before striking Sommer and nestled in the back of the net, late drama once more in Russia.
The Central American’s will now return home, while Switzerland, who finished, will face a round-of-16 tie against Sweden in St. Petersburg.
