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Switzerland will meet Sweden in the last 16 of the World Cup as they secured safe passage from Group E with a dramatic late draw against Costa Rica.<\/p>\nSwitzerland will meet Sweden in the last 16 of the World Cup as they secured safe passage from Group E with a dramatic late draw against Costa Rica.<\/p>\n
While Costa Rica were already out having lost their opening two matches, they were the better side in Nizhny Novgorod and were good value for their 2-2 draw.<\/p>\n
Blerim Dzemaili opened the scoring for Switzerland after they had been largely on the back-foot with Kendall Watson marking his introduction into the Costa Rica side by leveling with a second-half header.<\/p>\n
Josip Drmic came off the bench to seemingly win it for the Swiss late on, only for a late Costa Rica equalizer coming courtesy of a Yann Sommer own goal as Bryan Ruiz\u2019s penalty went in off the Switzerland goalkeeper.<\/p>\n
Vladimir Petkovic\u2019s side will now take on fellow Europeans Sweden in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday as Brazil\u2019s victory over Serbia ensured the five-time winners progressed as Group E winners.<\/p>\n
Mario Gavranovic was one of two changes for Switzerland and he had an early chance to mark his start with a goal but could not making telling contact on Xherdan Shaqiri\u2019s low free-kick.<\/p>\n
Sommer was then on hand to keep the scores level, saving a Joel Campbell strike before making a superb stop from Celso Borges\u2019 header.<\/p>\n
Daniel Colindres was next to go close for Costa Rica, bending an effort over the goal as Switzerland struggled to contain a lively front-three in the early stages.<\/p>\n
The lively start for Costa Rica, who topped a group containing England, Italy and Uruguay at the last World Cup, continued as Colindres hit the crossbar with another long-range effort.<\/p>\n
Switzerland slowly worked their way into the contest and took the lead on the half-hour mark, captain Stephan Lichtsteiner\u2019s cross nodded down for Dzemaili to thrash home.<\/p>\n
Lichtsteiner was booked later in the first half and will be suspended for the round of 16 clash against Sweden.<\/p>\n
While Switzerland went in ahead at half-time despite being largely outplayed, they started the second period in the same lethargic way as the first.<\/p>\n
Costa Rica finally made them pay, Campbell again going close before Kendall Watson grabbed his country\u2019s first goal of the 2018 World Cup with a well-timed header.<\/p>\n
It was nothing more than the Central American side deserved having shown glimpses of their best form.<\/p>\n
The equalizer at least seemed to stir the Swiss from another slumber, substitute Drmic heading against the frame of the goal as Switzerland attempted to regain their lead.<\/p>\n
Defender Fabian Schaer joined his captain in the referee\u2019s book as Switzerland lost another member of their back-four for the Sweden game.<\/p>\n
Switzerland retook the lead with a little over two minutes remaining as Drmic tucked away a first-time low drive.<\/p>\n
Costa Rica thought they had been awarded a last-gasp penalty as Ruiz went down in the box but the referee\u2019s decision was nullified as VAR showed the former Fulham man was offside.<\/p>\n
The Costa Rica skipper did get a chance to end his international career with a goal as, moments later, a legitimate penalty was given as Campbell was tripped inside the box.<\/p>\n
There was yet more drama as Ruiz smashed the penalty against the crossbar, the ball bouncing in off Sommer to deny Ruiz a goal with his final touch but earn his country a well-deserved point.<\/p>\n