Now that both matches of the second round in group B are finished, we are inching closer to discovering who’s going to the knockout phase of the tournament. This time, the favourites did not disappoint; Canada and Switzerland scored their first 3 points in matches against Qatar and Switzerland, and here’s what we’ve learned from these games.

Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

After a 1-1 draw vs. Qatar in San Francisco, Switzerland stepped up its game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The final score in Los Angeles was 4-1, which proves that they made significant changes after the first round.

Late goals

All goals in this match were scored in the second half. The sheets were clean until the 74th minute when Manzambi scored the opener. This indicates how good the Bosnian defence was for most of the game, but they also grew tired and began to slip. A substitute player, Manzambi, scored the first and third goals. He entered the game instead of Ndoye in the 71st minute, and 3 minutes later scored the opener. The second goal was scored by Ruben Vargas, also a sub. Murat Yakin‘s assessment that the team needed some fresh blood proved to be correct because the subs brought more energy into the game. Coincidentally, the only goal for Bosnia was also scored by a substitute, Ermin Mahmić.

Leaving a goalkeeper under attack

One of the best Bosnian players was their goalkeeper, Nikola Vasilj. Even though he conceded 4 goals, we need to take into consideration that Switzerland had 13 shots in total, 7 corners, and that they were dominating the whole game. Bosnia’s defence was good, but there were a few moments when their goalkeeper was under attack. When playing against a team like Switzerland, which played in a 4-3-1-2 formation with two strikers going forward, the defense should be more stable and not leave their goalkeeper in the open. One of the key moments where the flaws of the Bosnian defense were presented was the first goal, when the ball was flowing from one Swiss player to another, up until Manzambi scored. This could’ve been easily preventable if Alajbegović had moved in front of Manzambi, but his failure to do so led to a goal for Switzerland. The second goal was also a fruit of the positioning of Bosnian players, when they left Vargas in the open without anyone to block him. But since they were left with only 10 players 4 minutes before, it’s not a surprise that there were not enough players to guard all of the Swiss attackers.

Were the decisions wise in this game?

The key moment that turned around the game was Tarik Muharemović‘s red card. He earned it fair and square after fouling Embolo when the Swiss had a clear goal chance. Maybe if Muharemović allowed Embolo to shoot after he was too slow to get in front of him would Vasilj could clear the ball, and the game would go in a whole different direction. But he fouled him, got a straight red card, and Bosnia was left with only ten players on the pitch. Coach Barbarez had to work with three men in the defense line, out of which only one was a central back, and the chaos ensued. Bosnia conceded another three goals and lost the match. However, the fourth and final goal was not so much a result of 10 players on the pitch, but of a rather foolish decision by Amar Memić, who fouled Sow in front of Bosnia’s goal and earned a penalty for Switzerland. Xhaka’s precise shot was a final nail in the Dragons’ coffin.

Canada vs. Qatar

The 1-1 draw against Switzerland may have made Qataris (overly) confident, but the Canadian draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina definitely made the hosts more dangerous and blood thirsty. Canada’s 6-0 triumph over Qatar will be remembered.

Make-up exam for Canada

Canada took the warning signs it received against Bosnia and Herzegovina seriously, and they definitely improved their shooting precision. The early goal in the 15th minute suggests so; after a crowd in Qatar’s box and Abunada’s defence, Cyle Larin found himself in the right place at the right time and scored an opener for Canada. The second goal was the product of both Jonathan David‘s great aim and the misfortune of the Qatari goalkeeper. Later, David posed himself as a hero of Canada with his hat-trick, and is currently Canada’s attacker with most goals on World Cup. The only thing that limited Canadians in scoring more in Vancouver was the defence of Abunada. They had 32 chances in total and 19 corners, but Abunada saved the net in many opportunities. The ones he couldn’t save were also partly because of mistakes of the Qatari defensive line.

The tragedy of Qatar

After a 1-1 draw against Switzerland, Qatar started this match with hopes that they could achieve something similar against the second favourite of the group, Canada. But instead, Afif and other players were simply underperforming in this match. Their play kind of resembled the one from the 2022 World Cup. Canadians were dominating them in every possible category, from possession to number of free kicks. The only thing they were better at than the hosts was the number of red cards received. First, Al-Amin made a foul on Buchanan, and then Madibo ended Kone’s World Cup dreams after a foul that earned him a direct red card. Qataris were giving an impression of an overwhelmed and panicked team, which is the total opposite of the Qataris who played against Switzerland.

Conclusion

The favourites had made it to the top of the group, with Canada having a slight advantage due to the goal difference. The 3rd round will be the one that decides who’ll be the first and who the second, and more importantly, who could be the third that could potentially make it to the knockout round. Canada plays with Switzerland in Toronto, and Bosnia and Herzegovina faces Qatar in Seattle on June 24th.