Switzerland upset Canada in Vancouver during the World Cup. The Swiss secured a 2-1 victory and topped Group B. Goals from Rubén Vargas and Johan Manzambi were pivotal in the win.
Switzerland will take a break now, preparing to return to Vancouver to face a top third-place team on July 2. Coach Murat Yakin expressed satisfaction, stating, “We deserve to be where we are.” They will soon learn their next opponent.
Canada finished second in the group. It’s their first advancement to the knockout stage in team history. They missed a chance to play in Vancouver, instead traveling to Inglewood, California, for their next match against Group A’s second-place team.
Canadian coach Jesse Marsch acknowledged the missed opportunity but emphasized the team’s potential, saying, “We still have a massive opportunity ahead.” Despite the setback, the team hopes to continue impressing from Los Angeles.
Johan Manzambi’s performance was noteworthy. After scoring two off the bench against Bosnia, he earned a starting spot. He became the youngest to score twice off the bench in World Cup history. Vargas contributed with a goal early in the second half, a shot past Canada’s goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
Switzerland’s Breel Embolo assisted Manzambi’s decisive goal, putting them two up in the 57th minute. Canada’s Promise David reduced the deficit in the 76th minute but they couldn’t find a second goal.
Granite Xhaka, Switzerland’s captain, missed a chance in the first half with a free kick. Canada’s best chance came from Ali Ahmed but was stopped by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Canada’s World Cup journey began with a 6-0 victory over Qatar, a bittersweet game marked by an injury to Ismaël Koné. The Swiss had a slow start with a 1-1 draw against Qatar but gained momentum against Bosnia.
Switzerland, a favorite in Group B, has consistently reached the round of 16 in recent World Cups. Yakin noted that they needed time to adjust, “We needed some time to get really into this tournament.”
Canada’s third World Cup appearance featured a 2-2 draw against Bosnia. Marsch credited the team for overcoming challenges, “We’ve had a lot of adversity.” Despite setbacks, Canada performed well against Qatar and maintained competitiveness in the group.
In other Group B matches, Bosnia defeated Qatar 3-1. Qatar is out of the tournament.
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