Key events
GOAL! Switzerland 2-0 Canada (Manzambi 57)
Johan Manzambi gets another World Cup goal!
56 min Ali Ahmed clips a good cross from the left that evades Larin, who seemed to be distracted by his physical battle with Akanji.
53 min Canada have been quiet as an attacking force for a lot of the game. and right now a second Switzerland goal looks more likely than a Canada equaliser.
At the risk of offering insight, I wonder whether the relative lack of jeopardy has subdued them.
51 min “Wow,” says Andrew Goudie of Ollie’s half-time poem. “Rhyming ‘scary’ with ‘Dembélé’ is genius! Take a bow, son, take a bow. Who needs Mac Millings for top-level wordplay?”
50 min If it stays like this, Switerland will stay in Vancouver and Canada will be off to Los Angeles to play (potentially) South Korea.
49 min “Ayup,” writes Richie. “My mate is one of the flag-carrying volunteers here in Philadelphia and they can confirm that they are indeed very heavy. They are made of thick, durable canvas (thicker than your typical flag material) and they must have a minimum of 16 people on each long side and eight on the shorter sides, (mostly to have enough folk to prevent it from taking off if there is a strong wind).
“When they parade off the pitch it’s like a military unit; there are so many people marching by holding that rolled-up thing. Sadly after doing all that work (for which they show up to the stadium five and a half hours before kick-off) they have to turn in their credentials and leave the stadium. They are not allowed to stay and watch.”
Switzerland worked the ball efficiently down the right before Manzambi clipped a cross into the middle. It evaded Embolo at the near post and reached Vargas, who took a touch and rattled a decisive finish past Crepeau. A well-taken goal.
Ruben Vargas shoots … Photograph: Albert Gea/ReutersAnd it’s a perfect start to the second half for Switzerland as Vargas’ shot beats Canada’s keeper Maxime Crepeau. Photograph: Lee Smith/ReutersShare
Updated at 16.19 EDT
GOAL! Switzerland 1-0 Canada (Vargas 46)
Ruben Vargas scores after 40 seconds of the second half!
Switzerland’s Ruben Vargas (right) celebrates with Johan Manzambi after opening the scoring. Photograph: Lee Smith/ReutersShare
Updated at 16.15 EDT
46 min The second half is under way, and…
“I had you split-screened with the BBC,” writes Steve Chalastra. “I think it’ll be BBC-only in the second half. They’re beating you about 5-1. I expect better from the Guardian than smarmy comments and a complete dearth of anything resembling insight. A Guardian subscriber.”
Half-time reading
Ollie, aged 12, has sent in a World Cup poem. And it’s infinitely more entertaining than that first half.
double quotation markWorld Cup fever here again,
Excitement turned right up to ten!
Who will win it? Who can say?
So hot, they’ve all turned to clay!
Three Lions roaring on my shirt,
Ending sixty years of hurt?
Is it our year? Shall we see?
Having good players is the key.
Harry’s on a scoring streak!
Bellingham has reached his peak!
Bukayo Saka on the wing,
England fans can really sing!
But France are looking pretty scary:
Mbappé, Doué and Dembélé!
Messi’s scoring more and more,
Ronaldo’s knocking on the door.
Ghana had us in their pocket,
But next game Rice will score a rocket!
Come on Thomas Tuchel’s men,
Football’s coming home again.
Updated at 16.01 EDT
Half time: Switzerland 0-0 Canada
Your life is precious, my friend, and you have just wasted 45 minutes of it.
45+1 min “If I close my eyes,” writes Barbra Streis- Tom Hopkins, “I can still see Rijkaard’s flob glistening in Rudi Völler’s magnificent perm. Is that or Benjamin Massing’s valedictory wave after receiving a very harsh second yellow card the defining moment of Italia 90?”
Gary Lineker’s undercrackers would like a word.
45 min Four minutes of added time.
44 min Canada are having their best spell. Another sharp counter-attack ends with David spraying a left-foot shot wide from 20 yards.
41 min Johnston arrows a good pass into David, who turns and slides the ball further across to Ali Ahmed. His slightly tame shot is pushed round the near post by Kobel.
41 min It’s been a forgettable first half, and we should have always known it would be like this.
Updated at 15.43 EDT
40 min A loose ball runs to Johnston, who splashes high and wide from 25 yards.
38 min Free-kick to Switzerland 30 yards out. Xhaka launches it into orbit.
Watch out row Z! Photograph: Fran Santiago/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 15.49 EDT
37 min There’s an unpleasant clash of heads between Laryea and Embolo, though they seem to be okay.
36 min “What even is a goal?” asks Ian Copestake. “Is the journey the goal? Ball in the net is perfection realised but surely the rest of it has value. If not at least Wonderwall was top.”
33 min After two penetrative straight passes, first from Xhaka and then Manzambi, Vargas scurries away on the left. But his low cross is too close to the keeper and that’s the end of that.
33 min A decent break from Canada. David angles a pass to Larin, who has pulled cleverly from centre to left. He then cuts back inside and sweeps a shot from 15 yards that is saved by the falling Kobel.
Updated at 15.35 EDT
32 min Both players are booked. That was mildly farcical. Larin poked the ball away just as Xhaka was about to kick it, so instead Xhaka kicked his shin.
Not sure what Xhaka has been booked for, but there was an endearing physical comedy to the whole thing.
Updated at 15.34 EDT
31 min There’s a bit of posturing when Xhaka tries to take a free-kick and instead kicks Larin, who was lurking near the ball.
If you want goals, Will Unwin is your man.
28 min David spins a nice pass out to Buchanan, who knocks the ball past Akanji then takes a dive. The referee doesn’t buy it.
27 min We’re all friends here, so let us speak frankly: the match so far hasn’t been a great advert for a 48-team World Cup.
25 min The match is back under way.
24 min “Re: the Larin incident – is anyone else fed up with late-flagging linesmen when a player is clearly offside?” writes Stephen Bradfield. “Why isn’t the flag raised immediately?”
I understand why it happens. The modern world is so viciously intolerant of mistakes, so quick to dehumanise those who make them, that the brains of those involved (in this case assistant referees) are inevitably scrambled. That means the margin for error needs to be greater, because what looks obvious to me and you on the TV probably isn’t to the assistant referee who knows their life will become unliveable if they raise an erroneous flag.
Updated at 15.26 EDT
23 min Hydration break o’clock.
20 min Free kick to Canada on the right. Choiniere takes, Buchanan knocks it towards goal and Kobel makes a comfortable save.
17 min Canada started passively but are starting to come into the game. The intensity isn’t through the roof, though, with both teams knowing they’ve almost certainly qualified for the last 32 already.
Updated at 15.18 EDT
13 min Larin looks offside as he runs onto a through pass from Ali Ahmed. He tries to go round Kobel, who dives at his feet to push the ball away. The ball is clipped back into Buchanan, whose follow-up is blocked by a defender. And then the flag goes up for offside.
Share11 min: Chance for Switzerland!
Rodriguez angles a sensational though pass to Embolo, whose shot from 15 yards hits the outrushing Crepeau. Manzambi’s follow-up is crucially, if unwittingly, blocked by Cornelius.
Updated at 15.21 EDT
8 min Plenty of early possession for Switzerland. Most of it is harmless, in their own half, and Canada are waiting for the chance to counter-attack.
5 min Switzerland win the first corner on the left. It doesn’t beat the first man, at which point anybody over the age of 35 laments the negligence of a corner that doesn’t beat the first man.
4 min “Those enormous flags – they just look utterly unmanageable,” winces Charles Antaki. “Either they weigh a ton, or they’re made out of some material one nano-millimetre thick, or all the flag attendance are doing steroids. Perhaps it’s all an AI-generated illusion?”
You’re an AI-generated illusion! (Sorry, I may have watched In Bruges recently.)
3 min Nothing to report. Not a thing.
2 min “Cheers Mac,” hics Simon McMahon in reference to this offering. “An Overachievers/Surprise Package XI for when Scotland play their quarter-final in a couple of weeks’ time would be great. And cheers Rob, I’ve been keeping a bottle of Buckfast Premier Cru since 1998 for when Scotland reach the knockouts, and I think tonight could be the night.”
1 min Peep peep! Canada, technically the away team, kick off from right to left as we watch.
On this day in 1990… Frank Rijkaard mistook Rudi Voller for a lamppost
Updated at 14.59 EDT
A reminder of the teams
Switzerland (poss 4-3-3) Kobel; Jaquez, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Sow, Xhaka, Freuler; Manzambi, Embolo, Vargas.
Subs: Mvogo, Keller, Widmer, Coemert, Amenda, Zakaria, Jashari, Aebischer, Ndoye, Fassnacht, Okafor, Amdouni, Itten.
Canada (4-4-2) Crepeau; Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Choiniere, Saliba, Ali Ahmed; J David, Larin.
Subs: St Clair, Goodman, Waterman, Bombito, Davies, Sigur, Eustaquio, Millar, Shaffelburg, Osorio, Oluwaseyi, P David, Nelson.
Referee Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
Updated at 15.17 EDT
“Should today’s match fizzle into a drab draw it might well suit both teams,” writes Dan. “Canada would finish top of the group and remain in Vancouver for their next match against a third place team, likely from Groups G or J. Belgium? Algeria?
“The Swiss would return to Southern California for a winnable match in Los Angeles against the Group A runner up – South Korea? Not a lot to choose between potential opponents. But given their home base is in balmy San Diego, travel logistics might well suit them better than another cross-border West Coast commute for their round of 32 match.”
At this point I’m contractually obliged to post a link to, er, my piece on the Disgrace of Gijon.
Time for the pre-match nonsense ceremony. Canada have already added plenty to this tournament and, though tonight’s game isn’t the be-all and end-all, it gives them the chance to stay in Vancouver for the last 32. Maybe even the last 16.
“‘Switzerland and Canada have already qualified for the last 32 of the World Cup’,” writes Ric Arthur, throwing my words back at me. “Not according to the guide published this morning on these pages. I think you’re right, though. Which means they did not do their homework. But I can’t find a link to notify them of this.”
It’s true: mathematically, they haven’t qualified for the knockout stage. But they have.
Updated at 14.53 EDT
The World Cup Hydration Break XI
“Evening, Robert,” writes Mac Millings. “I think the fabulous Simon McMahon asked for a Hydration Break XI about two weeks ago, so, with my usual promptness, here it is:
Guillermo H2 Ochoa
Damp Burn
Rampamt Capitalisandro Martinez
Erictrolyte García
Jarell Quartah
Moistyouri Tielemans
Matheus Coolsya
Isotonick Woltemade
Siptor Gyökeres
Joe Irrigaetjens
Son Heung-Midity.”
Thanks Millings. If only Simon was in a fit state to read it, but Scotland v Brazil kicks off in just under four hours’ time and there are unconfirmed reports of a Buckfast fiasco.
John Brewin
England, an apology. Football Daily and the wider English media may have previously depicted Thomas Tuchel’s lads as world champions in waiting after taking apart a Croatian team led by Luka Modric, 78, in a second-half Texan surge, but we were all so very wrong. Still, as the nation awoke following the goalless draw with Ghana, we had our England back. Tradition matters. Tea cups on the lawn, curled-up cucumber sandwiches, overpriced service stations, complaining about the weather, prime ministers departing office; familiarity is important to this nation’s psyche. England serving up the dullest game yet of the Geopolitics World Cup brought that self-same wash of familiarity. A corner of a foreign field that is forever England playing like a drain, a nation’s hopes sagging. England, our ruddy bloody England, welcome home, we’ve been expecting you.
England latest
Alphonso Davies stays on the bench for Canada, whose two changes are in central midfield: Mathieu Choiniere and Nathan Saliba replace Stephen Eustaquio and Ismael Kone.
Switzerland bring in Luca Jaquez, Djibril Sow, Johan Manzambi and Ruben Vargas for Silvan Widmer, Michel Aebischer, Dan Ndoye and Fabian Rieder.
Manzambi and Vargas both came off the bench to score against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Updated at 14.05 EDT
Team news
Switzerland (poss 4-3-3) Kobel; Jaquez, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Sow, Xhaka, Freuler; Vargas, Embolo, Manzambi.
Subs: Mvogo, Keller, Widmer, Coemert, Amenda, Zakaria, Jashari, Aebischer, Ndoye, Fassnacht, Okafor, Amdouni, Itten.
Canada (4-4-2) Crepeau; Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Choiniere, Saliba, Ali Ahmed; J David, Larin.
Subs: St Clair, Goodman, Waterman, Bombito, Davies, Sigur, Eustaquio, Millar, Shaffelburg, Osorio, Oluwaseyi, P David, Nelson.
Referee Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
Updated at 14.44 EDT
We’re already into last-group-game territory, which means simultaneous matches. Will Unwin is covering Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar – so you don’t have to!
Joe Callaghan
Some corners of the internet were determined that Canada’s totemic and traumatic 6-0 World Cup victory on Thursday would be remembered mostly through Jesse Marsch memes.
The American’s handsy sideline shuffle after Jonathan David rifled the first goal of a hat-trick past Qatar duly racked up social media views by the million. Shots of Marsch holding up six fingers to Canada fans at the end of the match were chopped and put side by side with Michael Jordan in identical pose after winning his sixth NBA title with the Chicago Bulls.
The man himself was adamant it would be remembered for what it was: a moment in time and a moment for all times, including the dark ones after Ismaël Koné’s World Cup was ended with a broken leg. Koné’s horrifying injury came almost halfway through an afternoon that saw records fall like confetti through the Vancouver air.
“To create an identity for what Canadian soccer could be, you can say and do all the right things, but you need moments like today, where everybody remembers what happened,” Marsch said after the victory, the Canada men’s first in this tournament, the biggest ever by a Concacaf nation and the joint-largest by any World Cup host.
“No Canadian will forget this day. There’ll be 40 million people that said they were here. It’s an incredibly seminal moment for everyone to understand that there’s talent in this country, that there’s mentality, desire, a lot of things that make this country special, even though it’s a hockey country. I’m very proud that we’ve accomplished a moment everybody can remember.”
David Pleat couldn’t have an unoriginal thought about football if he tried, so it’s a pleasure to see him back in the Guardian. Here he is discussing five young stars of the World Cup, one of whom should be in action tonight.
double quotation markJohan Manzambi (Switzerland, 20)
The introduction of the forward in the last minutes of the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina was quite dramatic. Within minutes this powerful, speedy, right-footed player destroyed his opponents’ hopes of surviving with a draw. They had just lost Muharemovic and Manzambi exploited the extra space with perfect timing to get two goals.
When he scored the first, a well taken volley, it was clear he would be the centre of attention and it reminded me of the impact on Michael Owen’s life when he brushed past Argentina defenders to score for England in Saint-Étienne.
Manzambi spent his early days with Servette before moving to Freiburg and has shown he has the pace and power, combined with adequate control, to trouble defenders in the Bundesliga. He seems well respected by his colleagues there but after contributing a combined 16 goals and assists for his club this season, he may soon have new teammates.
Updated at 14.44 EDT
Preamble
There’s life in this here dead rubber. Switzerland and Canada have already qualified for the last 32 of the World Cup, and not even a 32-0 defeat tonight will change that. But both teams will be keen to top Group B. for reasons of self-esteem, a theoretically easier draw and, in Canada’s case, hosting rights.
The group winners will stay in Vancouver to play one of the best third-place teams, with a potential last 16 game to follow at the same stadium. The runners-up are off to Los Angeles, California, to play the runner-up in Group A; at this stage, South Korea are the likeliest opponents.
After starting their World Cup with a draw, Switzerland and Canada went on a netbusting journey in their second game. Switzerland came alive in the last quarter to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1. Canada thrashed Qatar 6-0, their first victory at a men’s World Cup, though it was a bittersweet experience because of Ismael Kone’s horrible injury.
Canada’s superior goal difference means they have the draw in this game. But they don’t have supremacy in the Fifa rankings, a sometimes useful way of judging such contests. Canada are 29th, Switzerland 17th. May the best team stay in Vancouver.
Kick off 12pm local time/3pm ET/8pm BST
Updated at 14.17 EDT