Switzerland 2-1 Canada: Vargas and Manzambi goals settle Group B decider

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ShareBoth Switzerland and Canada have qualified for the World Cup knockouts from Group B, but Jesse Marsch's side have lost their home advantage.Switzerland usurped Canada to win Group B at the World Cup with a 2-1 victory over the co-hosts, who must play their last-32 tie in the United States after finishing second.Both sides were all but assured of qualification after taking four points from their first two games, but Jesse Marsch's men knew a point would ensure their last-32 tie – and any potential round-of-16 contest – would take place in Vancouver, the venue for Wednesday's match.However, they were undone by a quickfire double at the start of the second half, with Ruben Vargas powering home 39 seconds after the restart and breakout star Johan Manzambi getting Switzerland's second goal 11 minutes later.A gorgeous touch and delivery from Nathan Saliba teed up Promise David to get one back, but Canada were unable to complete the comeback and will now go to Los Angeles to face the Group A runners-up, having finished above third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina on goal difference. Switzerland should have gone ahead in the 11th minute as Ricardo Rodriguez's excellent throughball released Breel Embolo, but Maxime Crepeau stood firm to repel his shot, and Derek Cornelius bravely blocked Manzambi's follow-up. That was the standout chance of the first half, though Canada became more adventurous after the hydration break, with Gregor Kobel thwarting Cyle Larin and Ali Ahmed.A low-quality first half gave way to a blistering start to the second, with Vargas taking a touch from Manzambi's centre before driving his finish off the base of the near post and in. And Canada had a mountain to climb after they conceded a poor second soon afterwards. Embolo rolled Luc De Fougerolles before offloading to Manzambi, whose strike was straight at Crepeau but squirmed past the Canada goalkeeper. It was game on in the 76th minute as David, who had only been substituted on 70 seconds earlier, converted on the stretch following a wonderful setup from Saliba.The best chances for an equaliser fell to Cornelius, but he planted one header wide and failed to make proper contact with another as Canada were forced to settle for second place, putting a slight damper on their historic first qualification for the knockout rounds. Manzambi continues breakout campaign Having routed Qatar 6-0 for their first-ever World Cup win, Canada knew a place in the round of 32 was surely theirs regardless of Wednesday's result. However, the fact that they will not play another game at this tournament on home turf will surely sting.Marsch might regret how cautious his side were in the first half, when they only had 30.5% of the possession and the teams combined for a mere 0.97 expected goals (Switzerland 0.69 xG, Canada 0.28). By full-time, Canada had registered 13 shots and 1.34 xG to Switzerland's six attempts and 1.06 xG, but Murat Yakin's side were more clinical with their opportunities.Switzerland's flying start to the second half gave Canada too much to do. Vargas' strike was the earliest second-half goal at a World Cup since 2010, when Denmark's Daniel Agger scored an own goal versus the Netherlands 32 seconds after the break.Creator Manzambi then joined his team-mate on the scoresheet, becoming only the third player this century to record four goal involvements at a single World Cup while aged 21 or younger (two goals, two assists). He is in good company, too, given the others are Kylian Mbappe in 2018 (four) and Thomas Muller in 2010 (eight).The Freiburg youngster also became the fifth player aged under 21 to post multiple goal involvements in more than one game at the same World Cup (since 1966), after Muller in 2010, Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2006, Ronaldo Nazario in 1998 (three), and Ferenc Bene in 1966.Both Switzerland and Canada have qualified for the World Cup knockouts from Group B, but Jesse Marsch's side have lost their home advantage.Switzerland usurped Canada to win Group B at the World Cup with a 2-1 victory over the co-hosts, who must play their last-32 tie in the United States after finishing second.Both sides were all but assured of qualification after taking four points from their first two games, but Jesse Marsch's men knew a point would ensure their last-32 tie – and any potential round-of-16 contest – would take place in Vancouver, the venue for Wednesday's match.However, they were undone by a quickfire double at the start of the second half, with Ruben Vargas powering home 39 seconds after the restart and breakout star Johan Manzambi getting Switzerland's second goal 11 minutes later.A gorgeous touch and delivery from Nathan Saliba teed up Promise David to get one back, but Canada were unable to complete the comeback and will now go to Los Angeles to face the Group A runners-up, having finished above third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina on goal difference. Switzerland should have gone ahead in the 11th minute as Ricardo Rodriguez's excellent throughball released Breel Embolo, but Maxime Crepeau stood firm to repel his shot, and Derek Cornelius bravely blocked Manzambi's follow-up. That was the standout chance of the first half, though Canada became more adventurous after the hydration break, with Gregor Kobel thwarting Cyle Larin and Ali Ahmed.A low-quality first half gave way to a blistering start to the second, with Vargas taking a touch from Manzambi's centre before driving his finish off the base of the near post and in. And Canada had a mountain to climb after they conceded a poor second soon afterwards. Embolo rolled Luc De Fougerolles before offloading to Manzambi, whose strike was straight at Crepeau but squirmed past the Canada goalkeeper. It was game on in the 76th minute as David, who had only been substituted on 70 seconds earlier, converted on the stretch following a wonderful setup from Saliba.The best chances for an equaliser fell to Cornelius, but he planted one header wide and failed to make proper contact with another as Canada were forced to settle for second place, putting a slight damper on their historic first qualification for the knockout rounds. Manzambi continues breakout campaign Having routed Qatar 6-0 for their first-ever World Cup win, Canada knew a place in the round of 32 was surely theirs regardless of Wednesday's result. However, the fact that they will not play another game at this tournament on home turf will surely sting.Marsch might regret how cautious his side were in the first half, when they only had 30.5% of the possession and the teams combined for a mere 0.97 expected goals (Switzerland 0.69 xG, Canada 0.28). By full-time, Canada had registered 13 shots and 1.34 xG to Switzerland's six attempts and 1.06 xG, but Murat Yakin's side were more clinical with their opportunities.Switzerland's flying start to the second half gave Canada too much to do. Vargas' strike was the earliest second-half goal at a World Cup since 2010, when Denmark's Daniel Agger scored an own goal versus the Netherlands 32 seconds after the break.Creator Manzambi then joined his team-mate on the scoresheet, becoming only the third player this century to record four goal involvements at a single World Cup while aged 21 or younger (two goals, two assists). He is in good company, too, given the others are Kylian Mbappe in 2018 (four) and Thomas Muller in 2010 (eight).The Freiburg youngster also became the fifth player aged under 21 to post multiple goal involvements in more than one game at the same World Cup (since 1966), after Muller in 2010, Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2006, Ronaldo Nazario in 1998 (three), and Ferenc Bene in 1966.