Argentina vs. Egypt (5 p.m. – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta)
The two nations last met in an international friendly in Cairo in 2008, when Argentina claimed a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Sergio Agüero and Nicolás Burdisso. Lionel Messi missed that match through injury.
The defending champions enter the match as clear favorites after winning all four of their matches so far. They topped Group J with three victories before overcoming their toughest test of the tournament against Cape Verde in the Round of 16. Cape Verde produced a spirited performance to force extra time, but Argentina eventually secured a 3-2 victory to book their place in the quarterfinals.
Egypt, however, cannot be overlooked. The Pharaohs are enjoying the best World Cup campaign in their history and remain unbeaten in the tournament. They also recorded their first-ever World Cup victory with a 3-1 win over New Zealand in their second Group G match. They now face their biggest challenge yet against the defending champions, who remain among the favorites to lift the trophy once again.
Switzerland vs. Colombia (9 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver)
Switzerland and Colombia have met three times previously, including two international friendlies and one World Cup match. Their most recent meeting came in a friendly in March 2007, which Colombia won 3-1. Their only World Cup encounter was at the 1994 tournament, where Colombia also came out on top with a 2-0 victory.
Colombia have had a very strong World Cup campaign so far, finishing top of Group K ahead of Portugal with two wins and a draw. They then edged Ghana 1-0 in the Round of 16 to continue their impressive run. They will look to qualify for their second-ever World Cup quarter-final, having done so only once before, in 2014.
Switzerland have also enjoyed a strong tournament, finishing first in Group B ahead of Canada and remaining unbeaten so far. They secured their place in the quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over Algeria.
While Colombia enter the match as slight favorites based on their performances and head-to-head record, this promises to be a much more evenly balanced contest than the meeting between Argentina and Egypt.
