Switzerland transformed a tense, goalless stalemate into a commanding 4-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Los Angeles, scoring four times in a chaotic final quarter-hour to seize the initiative in World Cup Group B. The win, sealed by two goals from 20-year-old substitute Johan Manzambi and further strikes from Rubén Vargas and Granit Xhaka, lifted Murat Yakin’s side to four points and left Bosnia bottom with one.

For more than an hour at SoFi Stadium, the Swiss dominated possession — at times exceeding 75 per cent — but found no way through a disciplined Bosnian back line marshalled by Schalke’s Nikola Katic. Dan Ndoye fired into the side-netting and saw a bicycle kick tipped over, while Breel Embolo was denied by goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj. Bosnia, with veteran Edin Džeko leading the line, offered sporadic threat on the counter but rarely troubled Gregor Kobel, and the contest appeared destined for a second consecutive draw for both nations.

The match pivoted on a calculated gamble by Yakin. He deliberately withheld his changes until the second mandatory cooling break, later explaining that he wanted to deny the opposition time to adjust. In the 71st minute he introduced Manzambi, Vargas and Djibril Sow. Within three minutes, Vargas crossed from the left, a partial clearance fell to Manzambi, and the Freiburg midfielder volleyed powerfully past Vasilj. The goal was his fourth touch as a substitute. Bosnia’s resistance crumbled further when defender Tarik Muharemovic was sent off in the 80th minute for hauling down Embolo as the striker bore down on goal.

With a man advantage, Switzerland exploited the spaces ruthlessly. Embolo teed up Vargas to curl a precise finish for 2-0 in the 84th minute, then Vargas returned the favour for Manzambi to tap in his second from close range. Ermin Mahmic’s spectacular volleyed consolation in stoppage time briefly interrupted the procession, but Xhaka restored the three-goal margin from the penalty spot after Amar Memic fouled Sow. Yakin praised his substitutes’ speed against tiring legs, while Bosnia’s coach Sergej Barbarez, whose side had been unbeaten in 10 matches, admitted his team had been “better until the cooling break” but were punished by Swiss quality. He consoled the red-carded Muharemovic with “a hug and a kiss” and demanded his players lift their heads for a decisive final group game against Qatar.

The result leaves Switzerland top of Group B on four points, needing only a draw against co-hosts Canada in their final match to guarantee progress to the round of 32. Bosnia, with a single point and a minus-three goal difference, must beat Qatar and hope other results fall their way. Manzambi, at 20 years and 247 days the youngest player to score a double off the bench in a men’s World Cup, has surely played himself into contention for a starting role.