Frustration continues for Leeds United star as penalty-shootout win sets up Lionel Messi showdown
Noah Okafor remains the only Leeds United player at the World Cup.
Leeds United winger Noah Okafor was left frustrated again as he remained on the Switzerland bench for a World Cup last-16 penalty-shootout win over Colombia.
Okafor’s patience has been tested with the national team squad, his sole World Cup appearance coming off the bench for 20 minutes against Algeria. The round-of-32 clash was wrapped up by that point and when results were on the line, head coach Murat Yakin looked elsewhere.
Victory over Algeria set up a last-16 tie with Colombia in Vancouver and Switzerland went into the clash without star attacking midfielder Johan Manzambi due to a knee injury. Yakin was also forced to drop winger Ruben Vargas to the bench because of a minor knock but there was no place for Okafor in the starting-XI.
Two evenly-matched sides played out a pretty uneventful 120 minutes in Canada, with the South American side edging it slightly but lacking end-product. Colombia defender Jhon Lucumi hit the crossbar with a header while his teammate Jaminton Campaz spurned a chance to punish Granit Xhaka’s mistake in extra-time.
In a bid to breathe life into his attacking unit, Switzerland boss Yakin made a number of changes in the second-half and extra-time but still, Okafor watched on. Instead, the boss turned to Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni and injury doubt Vargas as wingers were swapped out, while Werder Bremen’s Cedric Itten replaced Breel Embolo upfront.
Noah Okafor watches on as Switzerland win on penalties
Switzerland instead decided to keep it tight defensively and play for penalties, which they got. Colombia's Davinson Sanchez hit the crossbar from 12 yards before Gregor Kobel denied Cucho Hernandez. Xhaka and Amdouni scored early for the Swiss before Itten and finally Vargas settled it.
Okafor will be desperate to play a part in Switzerland’s first World Cup quarter-final clash since 1954. His nation face current trophy holders Argentina, boasting no other than Lionel Messi who at 39 is currently leading the Golden Boot race with a ridiculous eight goals in five games.
The winger is Leeds’ only hope at World Cup quarter-final representation, with all three other Elland Road regulars eliminated. Brenden Aaronson went the furthest but like Okafor, was rarely used with the USA losing 4-1 to Belgium in the last-16.
Ao Tanaka and Gabriel Gudmundsson both got decent minutes for their respective nations, both of whom exited in the round-of-32. Japan lost 2-1 against Brazil while Sweden were beaten 3-0 by tournament favourites France.