Switzerland v Canada: A carve-up draw on the cards & back 11/2 Bet Builder double

Draw suits both, why not back it?

Click here for Switzerland v Canada odds
Wednesday 24 June - 20:00 kick-off
Group B - BC Place, Vancouver
Live on ITV

And into the final group games we go, with Canada on the brink of making the World Cup knockouts for the first time, and needing to just avoid defeat against Switzerland to go through as group winners and stay on home soil for their last 32 match.

With four points each, they'll both likely go through as the top two unless one suffers a heavy defeat, so the draw at 21/103.10 could be a good shout. They'll ensure they stay the top two with a stalemate so a good old fashioned carve-up could be on the cards.

Switzerland are 7/52.40 match favourites and have lost just two of 18 World Cup group games, but there are eight draws in there so they're not scared of a stalemate - while Canada are 9/43.25 underdogs but of course only really need a draw.

Jesse Marsch will be desperate to ensure home field advantage in the knockouts, so he'll likely be focused on just avoiding defeat, but that does often prove tricky in these situation. With 10 of their last 12 going under 2.5 goals though they've shown they can keep things tight.

Just looking at the possible draw it's not too bad for Switzerland as runners-up, so with no real urgency the half-time draw could be a good bet at 1/12.00.

There's also a case to be made for the half-time score to be 0-0 at 9/52.80 - but teams don't tend to just play out games like they perhaps used to in World Cups.

So I do think we'll get a game breaking moment at some point - but in the back of their minds there's just not that jeopardy there, and when it comes down to it, keeping players fresh, avoiding injuries and bookings will all be more important than forcing a winner. It's a draw for me.

Back 11/26.50 Bet Builder double

After scoring twice as a sub last time, Swiss prodigy Johan Manzambi will get plenty more minutes here - he may even be given a start to prove himself by Murat Yakin.

The 20-year-old Manzambi is 4/15.00 to score anytime, which could be a shrewd investment even if he doesn't start - but check the team sheets in any case.

Jonathan David got a hat-trick in the 6-0 demolition of nine-man Qatar, and is 5/23.50 to score while Cyle Larin is 13/53.60 after scoring in both games and looking like a real livewire.

They've both played lesser teams who've had men sent off, but even so they've both had 14 shots on target in two games - from a total of 84 attempts on goal combined (Switzerland 39-45 Canada).

Dan Ndoye has had 10 goal attempts, twice as many as anyone else in the Swiss squad, with two shots on target in both games so far - he's 13/53.60 for 2+ shots on target again and given how often he gets into shooting positions that looks a solid chance.

Another standout bet in the player markets is Tajon Buchanan at 10/111.91 to be fouled 2+ times, which has also landed in both games so far - two in the first game and three in the second.

He's an all-action type of player and even if the game ends up as a draw there'll still be intent there and Buchanan doesn't look like he knows how to play in a slower gear.

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