Switzerland vs Algeria — Prediction

Switzerland are the more structured, reliable side here — Murat Yakin's team won Group B, beating host Canada 2-1 when a draw would have done, and built around captain Granit Xhaka they control and manage games well. The deciding factor is that organisation against an Algeria team that scraped through third on a minus-one goal difference and conceded six in the group, the 3-3 with Austria exposing both their attacking verve and their fragility at the back. The clear risk is exactly that verve: Riyad Mahrez at his likely last World Cup, plus top qualifying scorer Mohamed Amoura and Amine Gouiri, give Algeria genuine top-level threat, and if the game opens up Switzerland's own soft moments — they conceded in all three group games — can be punished. Embolo and Ndoye carry enough to edge a competitive match, but this is a lean rather than a mismatch, and a one-off knockout this even can turn on a single moment or run to extra time. Switzerland by the odd goal, with Algeria capable of taking it the distance.