'Mixed emotions' as Canada qualify but lose home advantage

Losing their final group game to Switzerland on Wednesday means co-hosts Canada will play no further matches in their home country at this year's World Cup.

Had Canada avoided defeat to finish top of Group B, they would have stayed in Vancouver for their last-32 tie and potentially a last-16 fixture.

However, a 2-1 loss at BC Place meant Canada finished second behind Switzerland and so Jesse Marsch's side will travel to Los Angeles to play South Africa on Sunday (20:00 BST).

The former Leeds boss, who has guided Canada out of the group stage at a World Cup for the first time, said: "We wanted to be here in Vancouver, but we still have a massive opportunity ahead of us to find a way to push for the next match and find a way to still electrify the nation, even though it'll be from Los Angeles.

"We came up a little short and that's unfortunate. But we're in the knockout round and we're going to make sure that we're up for it better."

After drawing their opening game against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto, Canada thrashed Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver, where they ended the group stage with a first loss of the tournament.

Striker Jonathan David told Sports Illustrated:, external "It was nice to have a pro-Canada crowd that pushed us on every game.

"We're a bit disappointed and it's mixed emotions. Obviously, we wanted to stay in Vancouver, so not getting that is a blow for everyone, but we'll talk about it and get ready for the next one."

Three knockout fixtures will be staged in Canada; last-32 matches in Vancouver and Toronto, plus a last-16 game in Vancouver.

The United States, who have already won Group D, will play all of their remaining matches on home soil.

Fellow co-hosts Mexico topped Group A and therefore will play in Mexico City in the last 32, as well as a potential last-16 tie at the same venue if they progress.

OneSoccer broadcaster Kristian Jack believes the schedule could have been set up so that Canada did not have to play outside their home country in the last 32 if they finished in the top two in their group.

"The teams that finished second in the Mexico group and in the Canada group have to play in the US," he said., external

"There's other games in the round of 32 that are happening in this country [Canada] and this could easily have been avoided. I've been talking about this a long time to Fifa and Canada Soccer about this exact scenario.

"If you are a co-host and you are having two games in the last 32, it could have easily been organised where Canada may have had to go to Toronto, if it wasn't Vancouver, to stay here [in Canada] and then we would not have to talk about these contrasting emotions of them qualifying for a World Cup last 32 but letting go of that home advantage."