(Courtesy: IG/@canmnt)
Switzerland defeated Canada, knocking them down to second place during Wednesday’s World Cup match ahead of the knockout rounds.
Despite having home field advantage at BC Place in Vancouver, Switzerland defeated Canada, going 2-1, and advancing to the knockout stage with a better standing than the rest of their Group B cohort.
After a goalless first half, Switzerland was able to hit the net at the 46-minute mark, with midfielder Rubén Vargas scoring the goal.
Just 11 minutes later, the Swiss team was able to double their lead, with midfielder Johan Manzambi finding the back of the net.
Canada was able to eventually cut the lead in half, with striker Promise David scoring a goal at the 76-minute mark.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough, with Switzerland defeating Canada by one point and taking the top spot of Group B ahead of the Round of 32.
Canada fans are still in high hopes and are maintaining positivity ahead of the next match this weekend.
“Don’t give up hope. Prepare for Sunday in L.A. Get ready for that, we’re gonna come through,” a Canada fan told The Brandon Gonez Show.
What this means
Despite still advancing to the Round of 32, the competition for Canada will be a bit more intense during the June 28 to July 3 week.
The country had to win today’s match in order to top Group B and secure an easier path through the knockout rounds, with more potential to face off against lower-ranked teams. Now that won’t be the case, as Canada enters the knockout round as the second seed, potentially facing off against more difficult opponents.
Both Canada and Switzerland were tied with four points heading into Wednesday’s game, with Canada tying with Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 and winning three other points by defeating Qatar 6-0.
According to the official Olympics website, these are the teams that already secured their spot in the knockout rounds:
- Colombia
- Argentina
- France
- Norway
- Germany
- U.S.
- Mexico
- Switzerland
- Canada
- Brazil
- Morocco
- South Africa
Argentina, the U.S., Mexico and Germany are guaranteed to top their groups during the Round of 32, but the full list of matchups will only be decided as the final games wrap up by June 27.
This is an historical time for Canada as it’s the first time the men’s national team is moving on to Round of 32 for the FIFA World Cup.
