For Switzerland, today’s victory over Canada was as sweet as maple syrup.
For Canada, which couldn’t have remained at Vancouver Stadium for the next match with even a draw, the loss before adoring home fans was as bittersweet as Swiss dark chocolate.
“I’m so thankful for the energy in this country, but we’re going to go to [Los Angeles],” Canada Coach Jesse Marsch, an American citizen, told FIFA reporters in a post-game interview. “We’re second in the group, we’re in the knockout phase, and now let’s go for it.”
Despite the 2–1 loss to Switzerland, Canada won a Group B match against Qatar 6–0 and tied Bosnia Herzegovina 1–1 for its best World Cup finish ever. The Maple Leafs lost all three group matches in the 1986 and 2022 tournaments.
Switzerland assumed its possession game early on, and Canada adjusted to its familiar press and counterattacking style. The Swiss quickly exploited space on the wings.
The Canucks made minor adjustments after the first-half hydration break, marking their opponents’ outside midfielders and forwards more tightly and maintaining longer spells of possession with multiple passes in and around the Swiss penalty box.
Canadian forward Cyle Larin looked dangerous past the 30-minute mark. He ran onto a low cross into the middle of the penalty box but didn’t pick a corner and shot right into the hands of Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Five minutes later, Granit Xhaka, Switzerland’s star player, leaned back on a free kick and shot the ball high over the Canadian goal.
The first goal of the match came a minute into the second half. Swiss midfielder Rubén Vargas made a looping run from the left flank toward the middle of the goalkeeper’s box. He was unmarked when he reached the low cross from Johan Manzambi and rifled the ball into the left corner of the net with his right foot.
Switzerland scored again 11 minutes later following a long ball from its own end. Canadian defenders made clumsy attempts to settle the ball before Swiss forward Breel Embolo collected it and, instead of firing on goal at close range, laid it off for the approaching Manzambi. Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau got a touch on the ball but couldn’t absorb it.
Canada got a goal back at the 76th minute. Nathan Saliba displayed impressive athleticism in reaching a long ball down the right wing, settling it, and redirecting it into the path of substitute Promise David. David, at 6-foot-4, got a slight touch with the right side of his extended foot and tapped it past Kobel.
Canada put immense offensive pressure on Switzerland in second-half stoppage time, but Kobel prevailed, stopping a header from Canadian substitute Jacob Shaffelburg and then pouncing on a loose ball on Promise’s foot just in front of the goal line.
In a post-game interview, Canadian defender Alistair Johnston said his team started a bit sluggish and was “a little bit tentative to throw the first punch.”
“We’re going to need as many of these fans to travel to LA with us and hopefully make that atmosphere for us,” he said.
Marsch echoed those sentiments in the post-game press conference, adding that the heat and the quickness and precision of Switzerland’s early passes also played a role in a bad start.
“Guys need to want the ball. Guys need to sprint. Guys need to be more aggressive.”
Swiss coach Murat Yakin credited the depth and tactical versatility of his players. Options were available to change tactics, but the team stuck with the same strategy throughout group play, knowing that its quick, fast defenders could win tackles and allow the team to maintain its possession-oriented game.
“We didn’t have to change the entire structure,” Yakin said in the post-game press conference. “We played football as we always played.”
Canada’s star player, Alphonso Davies, has not played yet due to a hamstring injury. He’s expected to be available for the round of 32.
