Switzerland have progressed smoothly to the last 16 of the World Cup but now face a very tough examination against a talented Colombia outfit.
The Swiss are unbeaten in their four games, reaching the last 16 for the fourth successive World Cup, although this time they have had to negotiate a last-32 tie for the first time.
That 2-0 win over Algeria in the previous round was actually their first knockout success in the World Cup since 1938, but it may be as good as it gets for the European nation with South American hopefuls Colombia tipped to prevail in Vancouver.
Switzerland vs. Colombia betting picks and predictions
Colombia to win (+120)
Colombia comfortably topped Group K after seeing off Uzbekistan 3-1 and DR Congo 1-0 before they held Cristiano Ronaldo and co in their final group game when drawing 0-0 with Portugal.
A last-32 victory over Ghana came next and that 1-0 success probably should have been a more handsome win, considering Nestor Lorenzo's team racked up 20 shots compared to just eight from Ghana, while they also won the shots-on-target count 8-0.
The often-underestimated Swiss will offer a stiffer test but Colombia have enough star quality to get over the line.
Los Cafeteros have Crystal Palace pair Daniel Munoz and Jefferson Lerma in their ranks, plus Bayern Munich's Luis Diaz, Palmeiras' Jhon Arias and Sporting Lisbon forward Luis Suarez.
All of whom are excellent players, while the vastly-experienced James Rodriguez is another of their key men.
Switzerland have a smattering of top talent, too, with Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka, lively forward Breel Embolo and breakout star Johan Manzambi to call upon, but their squad looks a little short compared to Tuesday's opponents.
Switzerland were held to a disappointing draw by Qatar in their opener but demonstrated their ability in subsequent group wins over Bosnia-Herzegovina and co-hosts Canada before having too much for Algeria.
However, there is a feeling Murat Yakin's men have yet to be properly tested in the tournament and this last-16 showdown certainly represents a big step up.
Under 2.5 goals (-163)
Apart from their opening 3-1 win over a weak Uzbekistan outfit, goals have been hard to come by for Colombia in North America.
Their narrow wins over DR Congo and Ghana, plus the goalless draw with Portugal, underline that while they have plenty of creativity and have few problems carving out good opportunities, they are not ruthless enough in the final third.
With the Swiss likely to be happy to sit back and soak up pressure, there is the feeling that this Vancouver clash will be a low-scoring affair.
Yakin's side have scored nine goals in four matches but it's important to stress that these have all come against significantly poorer teams than the one they are preparing to face in the last 16.
Luis Diaz 3+ shots (-225)
Diaz is among Los Cafeteros' main attacking threats, with the Bayern Munich wideman coming into the tournament after an excellent club campaign.
He has maintained his high levels in the four games for Colombia so far, although the 29-year-old will be slightly disappointed he's not been able to add to the goal and an assist he registered in the first match against Uzbekistan.
The former Liverpool man has been striving to add to his goal involvement tally, though, and he has had a total of 16 shots.
After he managed two in the Uzbekistan game, Diaz had five shots in total against DR Congo, then four versus Portugal and five again in the last-32 win over Ghana.
In a game where they may need inspiration from one of their best players, back Diaz to maintain a similar shooting ratio to the one he's posted up to now in the competition.
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Switzerland vs. Colombia Odds
Switzerland | +250 |
Tie | +220 |
Colombia | +120 |
Switzerland vs. Colombia player props
Anytime Goalscorer
Luis Diaz (Colombia) | +225 |
Luis Suarez (Colombia) | +225 |
Breel Embolo (Switzerland) | +225 |
James Rodriguez (Colombia) | +375 |
Ruben Vargas (Switzerland) | +500 |
Jhon Arias (Colombia) | +500 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
