Canada lose home advantage for last 32 after Switzerland win to take top spot

Canada’s home World Cup is over. Jesse Marsch and his men are now a road team, despite the spectacular efforts of the substitute Promise David. A 12-minute burst of clinical finishing early in the second half, after a dogfight of a first, earned Switzerland the right to call Vancouver home through the first week of the knockout stages. Murat Yakin’s lineup changes paid off handsomely with Rubén Vargas and Johan Manzambi rewarding his faith. Next up will be a round of 32 date back here on 2 July when ending a run of seven-straight defeats in World Cup knockout games will be the Nati’s aim. For Marsch and Canada , California now calls. The runner-up in Group B, possibly South Korea, will be the reward for finishing second. A barnstorming finish wasn’t enough and a very short turnaround will test Canadian depth. Ismaël Koné’s absence was rammed home in Canadian minds by his prominent presence. Six days after having his leg shattered here, the midfield dynamo was wheeled back in off the Canada team bus. On crutches, he hobbled pitchside to a huge ovation. Marsch weighed up Nathan Saliba and Mathieu Choinière as replacements but in the end had to deploy both, with the vice-captain, Stephen Eustáquio, not fit enough to start. Not ideal in most circumstances. Against Granit Xhaka and a richly experienced Switzerland midfield, it had the potential to be a gamechanging blow. Yakin made four changes of his own, Manzambi and Vargas handed starts. …