NIZHNY NOVGOROD – Switzerland drew 2-2 with Costa Rica on Wednesday to set up a World Cup round-of-16 clash against Sweden, with the Swiss qualifying in second place in Group E behind Brazil, who beat Serbia 2-0 in Moscow.
Blerim Dzemaili put the Swiss ahead on 31 minutes in Nizhny Novgorod, before Kendall Waston equalised on 56 minutes with Costa Rica’s first goal of the finals.
Josip Drmic put the Swiss 2-1 up, but an injury-time penalty by Bryan Ruiz hit the bar and bounced in off Swiss keeper Yann Sommer to secure a point for the Central Americans.
The Swiss will now face Sweden, who topped Group F following Germany’s shock exit from the tournament at the hands of South Korea.
But they must do so without captain Stephan Lichtsteiner and defender Fabian Schaer, whose second bookings of the competition earned them each a one-match suspension.
Costa Rica, meanwhile, avoided unwanted history as the only team not to score at the 2018 finals.