World Cup Daily: Canada, Switzerland carry momentum into decisive matchup

For a second there, draws looked all too common at this World Cup. A Monday slate of games marred by trench-warfare-esque stalemates, three groups with all teams sitting at one point apiece and nine total ties through the first smattering of matches.

The floodgates opened and then some on Thursday, the first day of Matchday 2, and the picture of who would make it to the knockout stage became a bit clearer.

To start the day’s action, South Africa fought back against Czechia with an 83rd-minute penalty to keep their hopes alive. Then, in the first taste of the day’s Group B action, a slog between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina turned into a slugfest.

The levee really broke when Canada took the pitch in Vancouver, as the hosts beat Qatar 6-0 in the most one-sided game of the tournament so far and one of the most dominant games in World Cup history.

To put a bow on the day of footy action, Mexico gutted out a tight win over South Korea to win Group A.

Here are the big takeaways from Day 8 of the World Cup.

Switzerland finds spark from youngster Manzambi

Don’t leave games early, don’t turn off your TVs, don’t go to sleep. This World Cup has had a penchant for late drama, and none more so than the absurd ending to one of the more decisive games in Group B.

Unimpressive on offence in the first game against Qatar and the majority of Thursday’s outing, the Swiss front three of Fabian Rieder, Dan Ndoye and Breel Embolo looked to be going through the motions rather than pressing the issue. Through the first 45, though they retained 69 per cent of the possession, they managed only four shots and went into half with 0.09 expected goals.

Needing a spark, manager Murat Yakin made drastic changes in the 72nd minute, bringing on Djibril Sow, Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi.

Manzambi set the tone for the Swiss, as the 20-year-old emerging star keyed the attack on the first goal by picking the ball up at the half, crossing a defender into another area code, and sending a pass to Vargas. The other substitute then whipped the ball into the box, and after a few failed clearance attempts, it fell to Manzambi, who smoked it on the volley with his right.

After a goal from Vargas in the 84th, Manzambi picked up his brace in the 90th and became the youngest player in World Cup history to net twice as a substitute.

Switzerland has made its money on the world stage off the back of late-game heroics from guys like Xherdan Shaqiri, who, at 34, was slightly aged out of this year’s group. But in Manzambi, the Swiss may have found their dynamo at the perfect time as a key matchup with Canada looms.

Canada grabs bittersweet first World Cup win

It’s not often a historic 6-0 win is hard to celebrate, but this may be the exception to the rule. Up 3-0 in the 56th minute, with rowdy fans chanting and cheering from Vancouver to St. John’s, the nation fell silent as star midfielder Ismaël Koné fell to the floor in the type of pain that leaves you second-guessing, as shock and adrenaline absorb as much of the hit as possible.

Immediately, everyone knew what had happened, and their joy had turned to ashes in their mouth.

“Very good to win the game, to make it such a beautiful day for Canada. But at the same time, it feels so empty after what happened to Ismaël,” captain Stephen Eustáquio said to reporters after the 6-0 win.

Through the first game and a half of the tournament, there was an argument to be made that Koné had been Canada’s most impactful player, filling holes on both attack and defence as impact centre-back Moise Bombito gets back up to speed and star striker Jonathan David tries to find his form.

Without him, 22-year-old midfielder Nathan Saliba is likely to take up the mantle in the midfield. The Anderlecht midfielder carried the flame well after being subbed on for Kone, as he wired a free kick off the post and in at the 64-minute mark, dedicating the goal to his injured comrade, but it’s hard to overstate how big a loss the absence of Kone could be for this Canada side going forward.

If nothing else, Eustaquio hopes his side can use this as fuel — to carry their brother’s hopes on their back as they push for another win against Switzerland and a top finish in Group B.

“He’s gonna want us to win the next match, and that’s what we’re gonna try and do for him.”

Mexico clinches as defence shines again

Usually known for its blisteringly quick attack and creativity, this iteration of El Tri looks significantly more composed at the back.

Facing a Korean attack spearheaded by Son Heung-min and Paris Saint-Germain standout Lee Kang-in — one that showed how quickly it can turn up the heat in its comeback 2-1 win over Czechia last week — Mexico shut the door for a second straight game and bothered every shot that came its way en route to a 1-0 win.

There were stretches throughout the full 90 when Korea looked well in control, sometimes keeping possession for minutes at a time as it waited for the right moment to pounce. But those opportunities never came, as the middle got congested and the line held firm.

While the Mexican attack wasn’t particularly impressive — with the sole marker coming from a jumbled possession of the ball by Korean keeper Kim Seung-gyu, which Luis Romo pounced on — their ability to counter and bend, not break, could be a decisive factor in tight games as the tournament rolls on.

Add to that some Guillermo Ochoa-esque heroics from keeper Raúl Rangel late, and Mexico could look to make a proper run after securing the top spot in Group A.

It won’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, as it was scored with Bosnia and Herzegovina down 3-0 in the 90th minute, but 21-year-old substitute Ermin Mahmic showed off a rocket in his side’s lone goal in the 4-1 rout. After keeper Gregor Kobel punched away the initial corner, Mahmic sent it right back towards goal with one of the purest strikes of a ball you’ll see this month.

While he won’t join the Canadians on the pitch for the rest of the World Cup, expect every goal the side scores from here on out to be dedicated to Koné. Saliba was the first to do so after he found the back of the net on a free kick, as he brought out his jersey and made Koné’s No. 8 with his hands.

England went on to win that World Cup on home soil, therefore Canada…

1. Jonathan David (Canada): After a rather horrid performance on Matchday 1, the Juventus boy showed up massive in his side’s win over Qatar, becoming only the second-ever Concacaf player to score a hat trick at the World Cup.

2. Johan Manzambi (Switzerland): The 20-year-old changed Switzerland’s fortune single-handedly, buzzing around the pitch and scoring two goals to essentially seal Switzerland’s spot in the knockout stage.

3. Teboho Mokoena (South Africa): Aside from converting a crucial penalty in the 83rd minute, the midfielder was South Africa’s metronome throughout the full 90, taking the most touches in the game (120) and finishing with a 96 per cent passing accuracy with five chances created.