MUNDIAL·26

First Stage · Group B · Wednesday, June 24 · BC Place Vancouver, Vancouver · 52,497 in the stands

kickoff 12:00 local · 26°C · 48% humidity · roofed stadium

Switzerland

46′ Ruben VARGAS (pen)

57′ Johan MANZAMBI (pen)

2:1

Canada

76′ Promise DAVID (pen)

tap a player for their match file

Switzerland4-2-3-1
Canada4-4-2
Gregor KOBEL7.6Nico ELVEDI7.2Manuel AKANJI6.6Ricardo RODRIGUEZ6.9Luca JAQUEZ6.2Remo FREULER6.7Johan MANZAMBI8.1Granit XHAKA6.6Djibril SOW6.6Breel EMBOLO7.4Ruben VARGAS7.2Maxime CREPEAU5.2Alistair JOHNSTON7.1Luc DE FOUGEROLLES6.6Derek CORNELIUS5.3Richie LARYEA6.1Mathieu CHOINIERE6.6Nathan SALIBA7.3Cyle LARIN6.1Jonathan DAVID7.0Tajon BUCHANAN6.6Ali AHMED6.4
from the bench

match pulse — xG per 5 minutes · goals · cards

45′90′SUICAN

goals — hover the strip for every shot and card, with names

  • 46′Vargas0.25 xG
  • 57′Manzambi0.12 xG
  • 76′P. David0.54 xG
SUI 0:0 CAN0'kickoff
11' Embolo — xG 0.59 · Saved11' Manzambi — xG 0.07 · Blocked17' Embolo — xG 0.08 · Saved20' De Fougerolles — xG 0.03 · Saved33' Larin — xG 0.13 · Saved38' Xhaka — xG 0.04 · Missed40' Johnston — xG 0.02 · Missed41' Ahmed — xG 0.07 · Saved44' David — xG 0.05 · Missed46' Vargas — xG 0.25 · Goal57' Manzambi — xG 0.12 · Goal61' Millar — xG 0.02 · Blocked61' Derek — xG 0.02 · Blocked68' David — xG 0.17 · Blocked76' P. David — xG 0.54 · Goal90 + 1' Derek — xG 0.29 · Missed90 + 3' P. David — xG 0.17 · Saved90 + 6' Johnston — xG 0.11 · Saved90 + 6' P. David — xG 0.04 · Saved

▶ Watch every shot in 3D⟲ Replay the match

The xG race — cumulative expected goals, minute by minute

SUI 0:0 CAN
1.00′15′30′45′60′75′90′46' Vargas — GOAL57' Manzambi — GOAL76' P. David — GOAL1.151.66

On paper vs as played — formation sheet vs heatmap reality

SUI 4-2-3-1 attack →, ← CAN 4-4-2 attack. The teamsheet, as announced.

1Gregor KOBELGregor KOBEL4Nico ELVEDINico ELVEDI5Manuel AKANJIManuel AKANJI13Ricardo RODRIGUEZRicardo RODRIGUEZ25Luca JAQUEZLuca JAQUEZ8Remo FREULERRemo FREULER9Johan MANZAMBIJohan MANZAMBI10Granit XHAKAGranit XHAKA15Djibril SOWDjibril SOW7Breel EMBOLOBreel EMBOLO17Ruben VARGASRuben VARGAS16Maxime CREPEAUMaxime CREPEAU2Alistair JOHNSTONAlistair JOHNSTON4Luc DE FOUGEROLLESLuc DE FOUGEROLLES13Derek CORNELIUSDerek CORNELIUS22Richie LARYEARichie LARYEA6Mathieu CHOINIEREMathieu CHOINIERE25Nathan SALIBANathan SALIBA9Cyle LARINCyle LARIN10Jonathan DAVIDJonathan DAVID17Tajon BUCHANANTajon BUCHANAN20Ali AHMEDAli AHMED

The duel — team data, FIFA tracking included

49%
Possession
40%
1.68
Expected goals
1.61
40
Threat
60
6
Shots
13
4
On target
7
389
Passes completed
275
49
Forced turnovers
50
10.0s
Ball recovery time
14.5s
2.6
High-press phases
9.65
13
Fouls committed
19
1
Offsides
3
110 km
Distance covered
115 km
34.3 km/h
Top speed
35.2 km/h

Territory — where each team lived

Every player's heatmap, minutes-weighted and stacked per team. Switzerland attack →, ← Canada attack. Brighter is more presence; where the colors meet is the contested ground.

How it happened

  1. 32′Cyle LARIN (Canada) is booked by the referee.
  2. 32′Granit XHAKA (Switzerland) is booked by the referee.
  3. 46′Ruben VARGAS (Switzerland) scores!!
  4. 57′Johan MANZAMBI (Switzerland) scores!!
  5. 58′Tani OLUWASEYI (in) comes off the bench to replace Cyle LARIN (out) (Canada)
  6. 58′Stephen EUSTAQUIO (in) comes off the bench to replace Mathieu CHOINIERE (out) (Canada)
  7. 58′Liam MILLAR (in) comes off the bench to replace Ali AHMED (out) (Canada)
  8. 74′Silvan WIDMER (in) comes off the bench to replace Luca JAQUEZ (out) (Switzerland)
  9. 74′Michel AEBISCHER (in) comes off the bench to replace Djibril SOW (out) (Switzerland)
  10. 74′Promise DAVID (in) comes off the bench to replace Tajon BUCHANAN (out) (Canada)
  11. 76′Promise DAVID (Canada) scores!!
  12. 80′Dan NDOYE (in) comes off the bench to replace Ruben VARGAS (out) (Switzerland)
  13. 83′Jacob SHAFFELBURG (in) comes off the bench to replace Richie LARYEA (out) (Canada)
  14. 85′Cedric ITTEN (in) comes off the bench to replace Breel EMBOLO (out) (Switzerland)
  15. 85′Christian FASSNACHT (in) comes off the bench to replace Johan MANZAMBI (out) (Switzerland)
  16. 87′Liam MILLAR (Canada) is booked by the referee.

The morning-after column · AI-written from the match data

Swiss precision punishes Canada's late desperation

Switzerland's 2-1 victory in Vancouver was a masterclass in suffocation disguised as control. Canada arrived with 9.7 high-press phases and 13 shots—hunting—but their intensity couldn't disguise a deeper fragility. The Swiss, ceding 40% possession to their visitors, recovered the ball in just 10 seconds and broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time. By the 57th minute, a second goal had essentially ended the contest: Canada had forced themselves into exhaustion.

The numbers tell a damning story for the hosts. With xG barely separated (1.68 to 1.61), Switzerland's clinical finishing proved decisive—two goals from chances with combined xG of 0.37. Canada squandered their clear cut openings: a high-quality chance at 68 minutes blocked, then in the dying seconds, two final moments (xG 0.29 and 0.17) fell to either side of Saliba's desperate defending. Promise David's superb 8.2 rating couldn't compensate for teammates who couldn't finish. Switzerland's recovery speed, combined with Manzambi's composure, won what Canada had controlled on the surface.

Switzerland won with 1.68 xG while Canada mustered 1.61 from 13 shots; clinical finishing, not dominance, decided it.

57′

Switzerland's second goal, made it 2-0 and ended Canada's contest before desperation fully set in.

What Switzerland needed

Smothered Canada's intensity with possession discipline and struck when it mattered.

  • Recovery time of 10.0s vs 14.5s created passing angles Canada couldn't disrupt.
  • Converted low-quality chances (0.25 and 0.12 xG) while Canada's highest-value shot (0.54 xG) was their only goal.
  • High-press volume (2.6 phases) limited turnovers; let Canada exhaust themselves hunting possession.

What Canada needed

Intensity without composure: missed two crucial late chances that would have earned at least a draw.

  • 13 shots vs 6 underlined dominance, but only 7 on target; clinical finishing beats volume.
  • 9.7 high-press phases backfired: slower 14.5s recovery left defensive gaps at transitions.
  • Late desperation (90+1', 90+3') produced chances but conversion failure cost the point; composure from deeper would have helped.