They hadn’t scored this fast in 16 years! Switzerland stunned with their second-half start
Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The Swiss national team achieved a rare feat at the 2026 World Cup, finding the net just moments after the second half kicked off.
Details: Switzerland opened the scoring at 45:39 — making it the earliest second-half goal at a World Cup in the last 16 years.
- Also read: Victory by class or a surprise? Prediction for the World Cup match between Morocco and Haiti
Only once since 2010 has a World Cup match seen a faster goal after the break. Back then, in the clash between Denmark and the Netherlands, Daniel Agger put the ball into his own net at 45:32.
This explosive start to the second half became a highlight for Switzerland, instantly shifting the momentum after the break.
It seems the halftime team talk truly paid off: the squad returned to the pitch fully charged and swiftly made their mark on the scoreboard.
Reminder: After the match between Uzbekistan and Portugal, Fabio Cannavaro said that Cristiano Ronaldo cannot be given even an inch of space, or "you're finished."
