VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Canada coach Jesse Marsch said he was disappointed to lose home advantage at the 2026 World Cup, despite guiding the men's national team to the knockout stages of the competition for the first time.
Co-hosts Canada needed only a draw against Switzerland at BC Place Vancouver on Wednesday to top the group and ensure home games in the round of 32 and round of 16.
Although they avoided the heavy defeat that could have cost them a place in the next round after taking four points from their first two games, a defeat against Murat Yakin's team means Canada wil now face South Africa at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles on Sunday. The Bafana-Bafana finished as the runners-up in Group A after beating South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday night.
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"I've been through World Cups and had big moments in my career and when you get one big win, building on that is so important," Marsch told TSN, referencing Canada's 6-0 rout of Qatar in the second group stage match. "So I'm disappointed we weren't able to get a win or draw to keep us here [in Vancouver].
"But I am grateful to the country and the stadium for the energy today. It's been awesome and that's the disappointment because we just want to continue the energy we have had here in Canada.
"But we are going to L.A. and it's probably going to be an away crowd, so it will be tougher, but we still want to electrify our country and play really well down there. We're exactly where we want to be. We are in the knockout stage now, so let's go for it."
For the start of the knockout rounds, Marsch confirmed Canada will have Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies fit to play for the first time at this World Cup.
With the game level at 0-0 at halftime, Switzerland sealed victory with two quick goals after the restart from Rubén Vargas and Johan Manzambi.
A goal by Promise David in the 76th minute gave Canada hope, but the hosts couldn't find the equalizer that would have seen them join fellow co-hosts the United States and Mexico as group winners. Instead, Switzerland will face a third-place team on July 2 in Vancouver in the round of 32.
And Marsch said he made a mistake by failing to make tactical changes at halftime.
"We will focus on the positives," Marsch said. "We had good performances off the bench, but I wish I had gone to five at the back to lock things down at halftime -- I wish I'd done that.
"We were too passive at the start of the half. Everything that we work on is about being aggressive and using our athleticism, but when the occasion is momentous, maybe the players get a little bit tighter and hold back a bit more.
"We have to learn from that in our next match, but we do know what it's like to go away and play in the States, so we will be ready for that. I know our team has heart, though, and that they will give everything in every moment and that is something to be proud of."
Marsch, meanwhile, said Davies would return from a hamstring injury after using him as a "decoy" against the Swiss.
"Alphonso wasn't ready yet, but I wanted Switzerland to think about him and if you heard their press conference yesterday, they spoke about him a lot," Marsch said "He was never ready to play today, but I used him as a decoy.
"He will be ready for the next match, though. We didn't want to be in a situation where he could be in danger, but he will be ready for the next match."