Pre-match attention had focussed on Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri's politicised celebrations in their last game and Costa Rica being the only team without a tournament goal.

But this time, the Swiss kept their focus purely on their game and took a 31st minute lead when forward Blerim Dzemaili blasted past Costa Rica goal-keeper Keylor Navas from close range following a nod down from Breel Embolo.

Already-eliminated Costa Rica twice hit the woodwork in a frustrating opening 15 minutes of missed chances at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on the banks of the river Volga.

But the Central Americans finally scored their first goal in Russia when defender Kendall Waston powered home Joel Campbell's corner in the 56th minute, triggering mass celebrations like they had won the trophy.

Swiss substitute Josip Drmic drilled home his team's second goal in the 88th minute before Bryan Ruiz struck a stoppage-time penalty that hit the crossbar and went in off goal-keeper Yann Sommer's back.

There was a sour note for the Swiss, however, when Captain Stephan Lichtsteiner, who supplied the cross for their first goal took a second yellow card, meaning he will miss the knock-out clash with Sweden on Tuesday in St. Petersburg.

Despite their joy at scoring, Costa Rica's tournament has overall been a disappointment for their legions of red-clad fans and a far cry from their glorious 2014 run to the quarter-finals when they lost on a penalty shootout.

Switzerland, driven on by the inventive Shaqiri, ended Group ‘E’ as runners-up.

Both sides could have won a free-flowing and open-ended game in Nizhny Novgorod, with a flurry of late chances.