The Swiss took part in a battle with their co-hosts to top Group B of the World Cup
Switzerland secured top spot in Group B at the World Cup with a 2-1 win over fellow Canadians with two second-half goals.
After a quiet first half at BC Place that suited the hosts top of Group B as it stood, the Swiss surged just 40 seconds into the second half when Ruben Vargas finished off a flowing move to fire home.
Jonathan Mamzambi’s second goal before the hour mark looked to have put Switzerland on top, but substitute Promise David slipped home to make it 2-1 with 15 minutes remaining.
The win saw Switzerland finish as group winners with seven points and thus earn a better round of 32 than the third-place finisher.
Canada – who finished with four points – joins fellow hosts Mexico and the USA in the round of 32, but crucially missed out on a chance to continue at home in Vancouver, as the Canucks will now travel to Los Angeles to play Group A runners-up South Korea.
A tale of two halves like the first half lacks quality
The first big chance went the Swiss’s way as a brilliant cross from Ricardo Rodriquez found Breel Embolo with the keeper to beat, but the striker fired straight at Maxime Crepeau before Jonathan Mamzambi was blocked and the home side were able to go through.
Cyle Larin then failed to convert a header as he opted to round the keeper, which was a mistake before the offside flag was finally raised.
Larin had the first chance after a hydration break, running onto the ball before opening his body to fire at goal but his effort was too easy for Gregor Kobel to collect.
Another ball was played to Embolo for an attempt to gather inside the box, leading to a penalty call which was waived after a tussle with the Canadian defender.
Embolo then won a free-kick in a dangerous area but Granit Xhaka blazed the ball high – which seemed to sum up the quality that had been lacking from either side up to that point.
The best move of the game for the hosts followed as they played the ball to Ali Ahmed from the left on the edge of the box, but the Norwich man failed to trouble Kobel with his shot. Soon after, Jonathan David’s clipped effort flew wide.
After a lackluster first half, the game came to life just 40 seconds into the break when Embolo’s cross from the right found Vargas, who put the ball in front of Switzerland’s Group B side.
Canada came out of their low position to try to get back into the game and lead to more space for Embolo to exploit, with their second coming on the counter following Larin’s missed chance.
Embolo swerved before sliding past Mamzambi and his shot deflected off Crepeau as the Swiss put themselves well in the driving position to beat the team – and dampen the buzz inside BC Place.
Thembisa David puts a nervy finish
A rare opportunity fell to David in the box but his effort on the turn but Nico Elvedi got down to make a spectacular save – but the momentum was building for the hosts as they looked to find a way back into the game.
And with 15 minutes left on the clock, substitute David slid home to reduce the deficit after a wonderful touch inside and then crossed from Nathan Saliba to revive the hosts and set up a tense finish.
A single goal for Canada would see them go up and the hosts looked determined to get it, with the big chance they needed falling to Derek Cornelius who couldn’t get enough of a touch to direct a good floating cross.
Promise David had another chance from a corner but managed to head the ball into the hands of Kobel as Switzerland held on for extra time.
But the biggest chance fell to Alistair Johnstone from the left but his header into the back of the goal was read by Kobel, before the Borussia Dortmund keeper collected a loose ball later to grab the points – and a crucial chance in the knockouts.
