Updated

Updated · SportsLine · Jun 24

Jon Eimer Backs Over 2.5 Goals in Switzerland-Canada Match as Canada Eyes Group B Top Spot

Updated

Updated · SportsLine · Jun 24

Jon Eimer Backs Over 2.5 Goals in Switzerland-Canada Match as Canada Eyes Group B Top Spot

Q: Will Switzerland's coach gamble on a 'secret weapon' or trust his veterans to silence the Canadian home crowd?

Murat Yakin appears most likely to do both: trust Switzerland’s veteran spine from the start while keeping Johan Manzambi as the tactical wild card. Yakin has been deliberately vague, saying Manzambi is “an option both as a starter and as a substitute” and that even the team would only learn the lineup on matchday. That suggests he wants to keep Canada guessing rather than signal a clear shift away from his established core. The evidence still points to Switzerland leaning on experience in a high-stakes match. Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler, Manuel Akanji and Ricardo Rodriguez remain the team’s controlling framework, and Switzerland only needs a draw to reach the knockout stage, even if a win is required to top the group. Xhaka has also publicly stressed the value of experienced players in key moments. At the same time, Manzambi has forced his way into the conversation. The 20-year-old changed the Bosnia-Herzegovina match with two goals off the bench, and his energy and directness could be useful against Canada’s aggressive 4-4-2. Some projected lineups now place him in the XI, and Yakin has praised the tactical value of introducing quick attackers once opponents tire. So the likeliest reading is not an all-or-nothing gamble. Yakin is expected to rely on his veterans to manage the tempo and the Vancouver atmosphere, while using Manzambi either as a surprise starter or, more plausibly, as the “secret weapon” off the bench to tilt the match if needed.

3 articles · Updated · SportsLine · Jun 24

Jon Eimer’s featured pick for Wednesday’s Switzerland-Canada World Cup match is Over 2.5 goals, part of three best bets he says include one plus-money play.
Switzerland enters as a slight FanDuel favorite at +145, with Canada at +220 and the draw at +190 for the 3 p.m. ET kickoff in Vancouver.
Canada can clinch first place in Group B with a win or draw after a 1-1 result against Bosnia and a 6-0 rout of Qatar.
Switzerland can reach the knockout stage for a fourth straight World Cup with a win or draw, having drawn Qatar 1-1 and beaten Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1.
Eimer’s call comes amid a strong run: he is 21-12-2 on World Cup picks and 31-13-2 on 2026 soccer bets tracked by SportsLine.