Team Canada is trying to punch its ticket to the following round of the FIFA World Cup with a win over Switzerland in a high-stakes match on Wednesday.
The faceoff is a key part within the Canadian men’s quest to advance further within the tournament.
“To enter the Switzerland game ready to win the group, I feel we’ve at all times expected that,” Canadian striker Cyle Larin said ahead of coaching on Monday.
“I feel the group, we’ve at all times expected to be where we’re, just from the standard now we have within the group, the talent now we have. I feel we’ve at all times expected to be on this position.”
Before squashing Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver on June 18, the Canadian men had never won a World Cup game. Switzerland, currently nineteenth in FIFA’s official rating, has made it to the tournament’s knockout round five times.
Canada and Switzerland have only ever faced one another once, with the Canadians taking the 3-1 win within the Swiss city of St. Gallen in May 2002.
Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch can have to make at the least one change to the starting 11 players he deployed against Qatar after central midfielder Ismaël Koné suffered a broken leg early within the second half. Nathan Saliba got here on in relief in his World Cup debut, scoring off a free kick within the sixty fourth minute of the match.
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“Between Nathan, Mathieu Choiniere, Jonathan Osario, Niko Sigur, we’re going to need to determine find out how to use all of our players to get the perfect out of every game and help fill within the void of what Ismaël has meant to the team, which has been many, many things,” Marsch said to reporters Friday afternoon.
“Koné’s been an incredible player, perhaps our greatest player within the tournament to this point. And he’s also a giant personality within the group. So we’ll manage it, nevertheless it won’t be easy.”
The Swiss drew 1-1 against Qatar on June 13 and beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 on June 18, scoring the last two goals in the ultimate 20 minutes of play. Switzerland also went undefeated in European qualifying to get to the World Cup.
Kickoff is about for 3 p.m. eastern, noon Pacific.
What’s at stake for Canada?
As a consequence of the upper variety of competing teams, that is the primary time a Round of 32 — the round Canada is trying to qualify for — has been played on the FIFA World Cup. It is about to run from June 28 to July 3 with 16 total matches.
Currently, Canada owns a goal differential of plus-six and is tied with Switzerland for first in Group B with 4 points. But placement stays key for the Canadians.
With a win or draw against Switzerland, Canada will finish first in Group B.
Capturing first place allows the team to get greater than per week off to rest before playing on July 2 in Vancouver against a third-place finisher from Group E, F, G, I or J, which also involves the Canadians not having to travel to the pitch.
As well as, a win within the Round of 32 would allow Canada to remain put in Vancouver for the Round of 16.
The additional rest would also provide time to guage Canadian star Alphonso Davies’ status and whether he’s within the starting lineup within the Round of 32.
A loss would likely drop Canada to second within the group, unless Bosnia and Herzegovina beats Qatar by a large enough number to catch up from their current minus-three placement.
Ending in second place would insert Canada on the alternative end of the schedule, setting it as much as play on the primary day of knockout play, which is currently set for Sunday at 3 p.m. eastern in Los Angeles against the second-place finisher in Group A.
In a scenario where Bosnia and Herzegovina runs the scoreboard against Qatar, leaving Canada to drop to 3rd place, Canada will play a gaggle winner from Group D or E in either Boston or San Francisco.
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