Switzerland's Yakin admits timing substitutes around hydration breaks in 4-1 rout of Bosnia

Switzerland coach Murat Yakin has admitted he deliberately timed his substitutions to coincide with the FIFA-mandated hydration breaks during his side’s 4-1 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup, saying the tactic prevented opponents from adjusting.

The Swiss trailed or were level for much of the contest before a triple substitution at the second hydration break transformed the match. All four of Switzerland’s goals arrived in the final 16 minutes, with substitutes Johan Manzambi and Ruben Vargas combining for three of them — Manzambi scoring twice and Vargas adding a goal and an assist.

“It was very important that after the second hydration break, we would change a few things, because then the opponent can’t react immediately,” Yakin said. “Maybe that was the edge we had. We brought in very fast players, and our opponent couldn’t run [with them], and it opened up gaps on the edge. That was my strategy. I waited until the break.”

The admission adds fuel to a growing debate around the breaks, which have effectively divided matches into quarters rather than halves. Crowds inside stadiums have begun booing when play is stopped, and the format has drawn comparisons to the commercial structure of American sports.

Gary Neville was among those to raise concerns about how the pauses are being exploited tactically. “I think FIFA are going to have to act quite quickly now,” he said. “If it’s a drinks break, the coaches have got to stay on the bench — you can’t bring tactics boards out. In one game they actually had a screen where they showed a set-piece, and then there was a tactics board up.”

For Switzerland, the result is a timely recovery after they opened their World Cup campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against hosts Qatar. The win over Bosnia & Herzegovina moves them into a strong position to advance from their group, likely as one of the top two sides.

Manzambi, for whom the occasion carried personal significance, reflected on the comeback. “This is probably the best moment of my career so far,” he said. “We knew we didn’t start the match in the best way, but we had to be patient. We know we’re a good team, and we showed it.”