TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The conclusion of Group B at the 2026 World Cup has reshaped the tournament landscape. Following Wednesday's matches across the Pacific Northwest, Switzerland clinched the top spot in the group, while Qatar’s campaign came to an official end.
Switzerland Edges Canada to Claim Group B Supremacy
In a match at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Switzerland defeated co-hosts Canada 2-1 to snatch first place in the final group standings. The Swiss finished the group stage unbeaten with seven points from three matches, routing their path to the Round of 32.
Canada, despite the loss, still advances as the group runner-up with four points, edging out Bosnia-Herzegovina on goal difference.
Switzerland set an aggressive tone from the opening whistle. Forward Johan Manzambi repeatedly tested the Canadian backline during the first half, forcing several saves from goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau. Though Canada managed to weather the initial pressure to keep the match goalless at halftime, the Swiss breakthrough came immediately after the restart.
In the 46th minute, Manzambi turned playmaker, delivering a pass that Ruben Vargas converted into the opening goal. Just eleven minutes later, Manzambi rewarded his own performance by latching onto a Breel Embolo pass to double the Swiss lead.
Canada refused to back down on home soil. After missed opportunities from Jonathan David, the Canadians finally pulled one back in the 76th minute when Promise David met a Nathan Lintasa cross to make it 2-1. Despite a late push from Canada to secure an equalizer, the Swiss defense held firm to seal the victory and the group crown.
Bosnia Keeps Knockout Hopes Alive, Consigning Qatar to Elimination
Meanwhile, at Lumen Field in Seattle, Bosnia-Herzegovina kept their World Cup dreams alive with a 3-1 victory over Qatar. The result leaves Bosnia in third place with four points, putting them in a strong position to advance to the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams.
For Qatar, the defeat marks a bitter exit at the bottom of the group with just a single point, repeating their group-stage exit from 2022.
Bosnia dictated the tempo early on, testing Qatari keeper Mahmud Abunada through efforts from Ivan Šunji and Ivan Baši. Their dominance paid off in the 29th minute when Kerim Alajbegovic danced through the defense with individual play to open the scoring. Five minutes later, the pressure forced an own goal from Qatari defender Sultan Al Brake, quickly putting Sergej Barbarez’s side up 2-0.
Striker Edin Deko nearly put the game out of reach when his shot struck the post, allowing Qatar a momentary lifeline. Just before the break, Qatar pulled one back in the 42nd minute when Hassan Al-Haydos converted a pass from Edmilson Junior.
Qatar carried that momentum into the second half, with Edmilson Junior rattling the Bosnian woodwork and Akram Afif hitting the side netting. However, Bosnia definitively crushed the comeback hopes in the 80th minute when Ermin Mahmi capitalised on a loose ball after Abunada failed to cleanly block a shot, making it 3-1 and securing three vital points for the European side.
Antara contributed to this article.
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