LOS ANGELES (United States) — Swiss wunderkind Johan Manzambi described coming off the bench at the World Cup to score twice in a 4-1 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina as a “childhood dream come true.”
“Honestly, it’s incredible – it’s the first brace of my entire career,” a gleeful Manzambi told reporters after the game, which ended in a flurry of Switzerland goals.
“And to do it at the World Cup, especially after we didn’t get off to the best start? Honestly it’s a childhood dream come true,” he said, switching between French and German languages.
Following Switzerland’s disappointing opening draw with Qatar, some Swiss pundits have been calling for coach Murat Yakin to play more young stars in a team dominated by veterans like Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez.
Twenty-year-old Manzambi plies his trade in the German league, firing Freiburg to last month’s Europa League final.
Typically a box-to-box midfielder, the versatile young star was brought on by Yakin in the 72nd minute as a winger.
“He told me to let my talent shine, and I think I showed that today as best I could,” Manzambi said after.
After just two minutes on the field, he volleyed in Switzerland’s opener from a loose clearance.
“Honestly, when the ball was in the air in the box, I didn’t see a clear option. But thank God, the ball went in,” he said according to AFP.
Manzambi also helped created Switzerland’s second before steering the team’s third past the Bosnian goalkeeper from fellow substitute Ruben Vargas’s cross.
After the game Yakin paid tribute to a Manzambi’s “many football qualities,” not least his ability to play in almost any position.
“He learned how to play on the streets. He needs to be more structured, but he is making headway with that,” said Yakin.
While praising Manzambi’s ability to “even surprise us as well as opponents with what he can do,” the coach defended his decision to start with the more experienced Fabian Rieder.
