VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canada enters its final group-stage match against Switzerland on Wednesday with a chance to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time while staying on home soil.
Because of two opening draws in Group B, all four teams had a chance to advance entering Wednesday’s games, although Qatar and Bosnia-Herzegovina faced long odds.
With a win or draw against the Swiss, Canada would win the group and play a round-of-32 game at BC Place.
“Staying here in Vancouver is definitely our number one goal,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said Tuesday.
Winger Liam Millar said he “got goose bumps” during Canada’s first World Cup game in Vancouver.
“The crowd in Vancouver, the national anthem, everything,” he said before a training session. “To stay here and have that environment for every game would be a big advantage for us.”
Switzerland, which entered as the favorite in the group, has all but clinched a spot in the next round.
The winner of Wednesday’s match in Seattle between Qatar and Bosnia could also advance.
While Switzerland is highly likely to advance regardless of Wednesday’s result, a first-place finish has perks: an extra four days of rest and a more favorable path through the tournament. Switzerland has won its World Cup group just once in its history, in 2006.
“If we show our best side, I think we’re going to win tomorrow,” Swiss defender Manuel Akanji said.
Akanji said he would not be satisfied with a draw.
Canada’s first World Cup victory was a dominant 6-0 win over Qatar. Because of that lopsided margin, a draw with the Swiss would be enough for the Canadians to hold their position atop the group and join fellow hosts Mexico and the U.S. as first-place finishers.
“I said this when I took the job. ... We have a clear objective. We want to win the group,” said Marsch, who became Canada’s coach in 2024.
Switzerland took some time finding its World Cup groove, conceding a late goal in its opening 1-1 draw against Qatar and only leading Bosnia for the final 16 minutes of its 4-1 victory.
“The worst way to get the draw is to play for a draw,” Marsch said. “We are going to start this match going into it with the mentality and the tactics to win. We’re not going to be overly conservative, we’re not going to be aggressive. We’re going to be us.”
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Drew Renner contributed to this report. Renner and Ben Kule are students in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Ben Kule, The Associated Press
