Murat Yakin changed four names, and Switzerland got the response he wanted. Rubén Vargas and Johan Manzambi started, Switzerland beat Canada, and Group B flipped at the top.
That left Switzerland in Vancouver for a round of 32 match on 2 July. Canada finished second and will play its next knockout game in California.
Yakin’s four changes
Yakin’s selection call mattered because it changed the shape of Switzerland’s attack without sacrificing control. Vargas and Manzambi both rewarded the move, giving Switzerland the edge it needed to finish first in Group B.
The match opened with Switzerland’s best early chance. Breel Embolo had a shot saved by Maxime Crépeau, and Canada stayed level long enough to keep the contest tight.
Canada’s path shifts
Jesse Marsch had to work without Stephen Eustáquio, who was not fit enough to start, so he used Nathan Saliba and Mathieu Choinière. Canada still finished the half with a flourish, and Ali Ahmed’s low shot was palmed away by Gregor Kobel.
The stakes were simple. Canada wanted to stay in Vancouver by winning or drawing, but the defeat sent it away from that route and handed Switzerland the home-side benefit for the last 32. Ismaël Koné also appeared pitchside on crutches six days after having his leg shattered in Vancouver, a reminder of how much ground Canada lost between one group match and the next.
Vancouver and 2 July
One challenge remained before the knockout stage settled into place: whether Switzerland can end seven straight defeats in World Cup knockout games when it returns to Vancouver on 2 July. For Canada, the next step is a trip to California, and the group result has already decided where the pressure lands next.
