This will be anything but an ordinary match for these two Group B sides. Canada, one of the tournament hosts and currently ranked 29th in the FIFA World Ranking, will battle Switzerland to determine which team finishes top of the group.
Teams such as Egypt and Algeria sit above the North Americans in this ranking. However, Canada have collected four points so far in the tournament, thanks to one win and one draw. Jesse Marsch’s side is aiming to make history by winning its World Cup group.
Switzerland, meanwhile, sit 17th in the FIFA World Ranking. A consistent contender on the international stage, the European side has every reason to believe it can make a deep run in the tournament.
Key clash between Canada and Switzerland
The match between Canada and Switzerland is being played at BC Place in Vancouver, where a sellout crowd is expected. Both teams enter the contest level on four points and share the top spot in Group B, with the winner set to finish as the group’s outright leader.
Jonathan David of Canada celebrates after scoring the teams second goal.
The big question many are asking is: what happens if the match ends in a draw? In that scenario, the head-to-head tiebreaker would not come into play, meaning the group winner would be determined by goal difference and, if necessary, goals scored — a category in which Canada currently hold the advantage.
What’s next for Canada?
If Canada defeat Switzerland, they will finish atop Group B and advance to the Round of 32, where they would face one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams from Groups E, F, G, I or J. If they finish second, however, they will be matched up against the runner-up from Group A.
There is also a remote possibility that Canada could finish third in the group. If Bosnia and Herzegovina were to defeat Qatar by a significant margin and Canada were to suffer a heavy loss to Switzerland, the hosts could slip to third place, putting their future in the tournament at risk.
