Although both Switzerland and Canada already have one foot in the next phase of the World Cup, this final match will determine the winner of Group B, and the final group standings are of immense importance for both teams’ chances moving forward.
There’s a huge difference between finishing first and second, because first place theoretically guarantees an easier matchup in the Round of 32. The winner of Group B will face one of the third-place teams that advanced. The runner-up in Group B will face the runner-up in Group A.
If the other groups take an unexpected turn, the winner might end up with a tougher match, as some heavy favourites haven’t been performing up to par so far. Nevertheless, for now, we’re certain that both Switzerland and Canada will prefer to win their group.
The Red Crosses played a phenomenal match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, making up for their underwhelming performance against Qatar. Given this goal difference heading into the final match and the key rule that head-to-head results determine the outcome in the event of a points tie, Switzerland are almost guaranteed to advance.
Although they haven’t had much success in the knockout stages of major tournaments, Switzerland have dominated their groups in recent years, with only two losses in their last 18 group-stage matches at European Championships and World Cups.
Canada will be a symbolic visitor on their home turf in Vancouver and are chasing a first-ever World Cup playoff qualification in the country’s history. They need just one point from this match, but after their 6-0 win over Qatar, we’re confident they’ll be chasing the win until the final whistle.
With their latest victory, the Canucks have extended their unbeaten streak to 10 consecutive matches, which is impressive, but it should also be noted that six of those matches were draws.
How the bookies view it: Switzerland got the nod
This is a very difficult match to predict, and the odds reflect that. Bookmakers are offering similar odds for both teams to win, but Switzerland still hold a slight edge and are available at 29/20.
A draw is priced at 21/10, while the odds for Canada range from 21/10 to 47/20 across different bookmakers. You can find the best ones by using our best mobile apps for World Cup betting.
Recent head-to-head: Switzerland's boss faced Canada 24 years ago
The two teams have met only once on the football field, with Canada winning the 2002 friendly match 3-1. The only interesting fact worth mentioning is that Switzerland’s current manager, Murat Yakin, played in that match.
Players to watch: Ndoye will search for his first goal
In our previous prediction for the match between Switzerland and Bosnia, we correctly predicted that Dan Ndoye would have at least one shot on target, and we plan to place our trust in him once again.
The Nottingham Forest forward has proven to be the most active attacking player for the Red Crosses in this World Cup, with a total of 10 shots in two matches so far. We certainly expect him to be looking for his first goal again, even though this is shaping up to be the team’s toughest match yet.
As for the Canadian team, we can’t overlook Jonathan David, who scored a hat trick against Qatar and has 11 shots in two matches so far in this World Cup, six of which were on target.
Probable line-ups
Switzerland: Kobel, Rodriguez, Akanji, Jaquez, Widemer, Freuler, Xhaka, Aebischer, Vargas, Ndoye, Embolo
Canada: Crepeau, Laryea, Sigur, Bombito, Johnston, Buchanan, Saliba, Eustaquio, Ahmed, Larin, David
Anything else catch the eye?
We may see a tense clash that could lead to cards, but that’s a bet we’ll look into live once we see how the match starts. The referee will be Ramon Abatti of Brazil, who doesn’t usually hand out many cards—an average of 3.64 yellow cards per match—having officiated a total of 14 matches during the last campaign.
What we do expect, however, are goals at both ends. Neither Switzerland nor Canada are a team that will sit back and play for a draw, and right now they’re fairly evenly matched. We won’t risk picking a winner, but we’re definitely expecting Both Teams to Score.
GambleAware