Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The final whistle brought mixed emotions to a packed BC Place on Wednesday night.
Swiss players embraced after securing top spot in Group B with a hard-earned 2-1 victory, while Canada’s players dropped to the turf knowing they had fallen short on the night. Yet as the initial disappointment faded, the significance of the moment began to sink in.
For the first time in their history, Canada are through to the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup.
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The hosts missed out on winning the group after second-half goals from Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi powered Switzerland to victory in Vancouver, but Jesse Marsch’s side still progressed as runners-up and will continue their tournament journey in Los Angeles.
It was not the result the home crowd had hoped for, but it was still a night that marked a watershed moment for Canadian football.
TENSE FIRST HALF
The stakes were enormous heading into the final group-stage encounter. A draw would have been enough for Canada to finish top of Group B, while Switzerland needed victory to leapfrog the hosts.
Yet for much of the opening 45 minutes, the tension of the occasion overshadowed the football.
Chances were scarce, rhythm was hard to find and neither side looked willing to take unnecessary risks. The loudest moment of the half arrived not from a shot on goal but from a confrontation between Swiss captain Granit Xhaka and Canadian striker Cyle Larin, with both players receiving yellow cards after tempers flared following a quick free kick.
The statistics told the story of a cagey contest. Between them, the two teams managed just three attempts on target before the interval.
SWISS TAKE CHARGE
Everything changed after the restart.
Switzerland emerged with purpose and seized control almost immediately. Just a minute into the second half, 20-year-old Johan Manzambi drifted into space and slipped the ball to Vargas on the edge of the area. The Swiss winger took one touch to steady himself before drilling a low finish beyond the goalkeeper at the near post.
The goal stunned the home support and shifted the momentum firmly in Switzerland’s favour.
Eleven minutes later, the Swiss struck again.
Breel Embolo, a constant physical presence throughout the evening, held off his marker inside the penalty area before laying the ball into the path of Manzambi. The youngster did the rest, firing an emphatic finish into the net to double Switzerland’s advantage and put the group leaders in complete control.
At that stage, Canada looked short of answers.
LATE CANADIAN PUSH
But one of the hallmarks of Marsch’s team throughout this tournament has been its refusal to fade quietly.
With time running out, the Canadian coach turned to his bench in search of inspiration and got an immediate response. In the 76th minute, substitute Promise David announced himself in style. Meeting Nathan Saliba’s perfectly weighted pass with his very first touch after entering the match, David guided a composed finish into the corner.
BC Place erupted.
The noise that followed felt less like a group-stage match and more like a knockout game. Fans rose to their feet, waving flags and roaring their team forward as chants of “Let’s go Canada” echoed around the stadium.
For a brief spell, Switzerland were hanging on.
Canada threw bodies forward and searched desperately for an equaliser that would have restored top spot. However, Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel produced a series of important saves in a frantic finale, preserving both the victory and Switzerland’s place at the summit of Group B.
HISTORY STILL MADE
Even in defeat, there were reminders of how far Canadian football has come.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, sidelined after suffering a broken leg against Qatar, was present in the dugout to support his teammates. In the eighth minute, supporters held aloft signs bearing his number eight in a touching show of solidarity. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was also among those in attendance for a match that carried national significance.
When the dust settled, Switzerland finished the group stage with seven points and earned the reward of remaining in Vancouver for their last-32 clash.
Canada, meanwhile, will head south to Los Angeles.
The defeat hurt. Missing out on top spot hurt even more.
But the bigger picture remains impossible to ignore.
A nation that had never before reached the World Cup knockout stage has now broken new ground on home soil. The dream is still alive, and for Canada, history has already been made.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
