Colombia falls short in shootout vs. Switzerland and fails to match its best World Cup performance

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Colombia was on the cusp of matching its best World Cup performance but could not come through in a penalty shootout.

Davinson Sánchez sent his penalty over the bar, and Cucho Hernández had his attempt saved by Gregor Kobel as Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 in the shootout following a goalless 120 minutes on Tuesday.

“Clearly, something is missing. We haven’t been able to win with the national team,” midfielder Jhon Arias said.

Awaiting Colombia was a quarterfinal matchup against defending champion and South American rival Argentina. Instead, Los Cafeteros are headed home.

They had plenty chances to put it away, particularly in extra time.

Jhon Lucumí smashed a header off the top of the crossbar in the first extra-time period. Jaminton Campaz missed another clear-cut chance in the 116th minute. The striker picked up an errant clearance from Granit Xhaka and, with only Kobel to beat, shot the ball over the bar.

Gustavo Puerta had the first good chance for Colombia with a shot from distance in the 21st minute that was pushed away by Kobel.

Colombia’s best World Cup performance was in 2014, when it beat Uruguay in the round of 16 before losing to host Brazil in the quarterfinals. Los Cafeteros lost to England on penalties in the round of 16 in 2018 and missed the 2022 World Cup altogether.

“We all want to win. We all want to achieve important things with the national team because I think the people deserve it,” Arias said. “I think it’s something we need to reflect on carefully, and hopefully we’ll find what it is that’s still missing.”

Owen Cameros is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Colombia's Gustavo Puerta (14) reacts after losing to Switzerland during a penalty shootout in the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Switzerland and Colombia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel (1) blocks a penalty shot by Colombia's Cucho Hernandez in a shootout during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Colombia's Johan Mojica reacts during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Switzerland and Colombia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel (1) looks up as Colombia's Davinson Sanchez (23) hits the bar during a penalty shootout at the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Switzerland and Colombia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Colombian players lie dejected after losing penalty shootout during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Switzerland and Colombia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

MIAMI (AP) — The next tropical storm that develops in the Atlantic this hurricane season will be named Dolly, but the timing is pure coincidence and has no connection to Dolly Parton’s death Tuesday.

Storm systems are named by procedures set by the World Meteorological Organization, and the lists of names are reused every six years. For the Atlantic region, the lists are alphabetical and alternate male and female names.

This season started with Tropical Storm Arthur coming ashore on the U.S. Gulf Coast in June, and Tropical Storm Bertha dumped rain in Louisiana and Texas in July. Tropical Storm Cristobal formed and quickly dissipated in the Atlantic earlier in August.

The National Hurricane Center was monitoring a weather system off Africa that may strengthen into a named tropical storm.

Conditions were somewhat favorable for the area of thunderstorms south of the Cabo Verde Islands to become a tropical depression sometime in the next week, forecasters at the Miami-based center said early Wednesday.

If it further develops, with maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph), the system would be named Tropical Storm Dolly.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast a below-average Atlantic hurricane season due to El Nino. It forecast eight to 14 named storms, with three to six of them reaching hurricane strength and one to three of those intensifying to major hurricanes.

The NHC and other weather agencies name storms to easily communicate warnings about them to people and to avoid confusion. The WMO says names are chosen to be short, easy to pronounce and familiar to the regions of the world where the storm names are used. It meets regularly to evaluate potential names, and some names are retired for reasons of sensitivity, particularly for deadly or destructive storms.

One name from the 2025 season was retired, Melissa, which was a Category 5 hurricane that brought devastation to the Caribbean.

Actor Gregg Donovan kneels over Dolly Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This NOAA satellite image taken at 11:21 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, shows Tropical Storm Cristobal in the Atlantic Ocean. (NOAA via AP)