World Cup 2026 Day 8: Group B Recap

Group B played its second matchday on Thursday afternoon and evening on Day eight of the 2026 World Cup. Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, and Qatar all came into the second matchday with one point. This time around, there were two winners and two losers. The games were lopsided, and show where things may end for Group B.

General view inside the stadium before the match

GARY VASQUEZ

World Cup Group K - Matchday 1

Switzerland 4 - 1 Bosnia & Herzegovina

After one match, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina sat on one point, and both felt similarly.  The Swiss dropped two points late on vs Qatar, and Bosnia couldn't hold off hosts Canada. Coming into their second game, both nations knew a win would get them back into the swing of things in Group B

Both teams played in their familiar formations. Bosnia and Herzegovina played their traditional 4-4-2, while Switzerland countered with a 4-3-1-2. Both teams love to play with the ball, but this game showed that it wouldn't be so easy.

Switzerland had the majority of possession in the first half but converted it into only 0.09 expected goals (XG) on four shots. Bosnia and Herzegovina had the better of the XG (0.13), but only by a small margin. What this game lacked in the first half, it made up for in the second.

Switzerland's Johan Manzambi scores their first goal past Bosnia and Herzegovina's Nikola Vasilj

KIRBY LEE

This game had some fireworks in it, but only in the last 16 minutes of it. First, Johan Manzambi scored a banger for Switzerland to take the lead, then Tarik Muharemovic picked up a red card for Bosnia and Herzegovina four minutes later. Switzerland went two goals up thanks to a Rubén Vargas goal. From the 90th minute to the added seven minutes, there were three goals, two from Switzerland, Manzambi completed his brace, and then Granit Xhaka converted a PK on the last kick of the game. Before that, Ermin Mahmic scored a banger for Bosnia, but that wasn't enough to get any points from this one.

Switzerland's Johan Manzambi and teammates celebrate scoring their third goal.

DANIEL COLE

Switzerland has all to play for in the final matchday to win Group B, while Bosnia and Herzegovina can still make it out of the group with a win and some help.

Canada 6 - 0 Qatar

General view inside the stadium as the teams line up with young mascots during the national anthems before the match

Albert Gea

Canada and Qatar both earned their first-ever points at a World Cup on matchday one of Group B play. Now, the two were looking for their first-ever wins. The co-host, Canada, showed they would be the side to take advantage of that opportunity.

The Canadian's came out in their 4-4-2, ready to press Qatar's 4-3-3 into oblivion. The Qataris were content to use their shape to defend, but didn't do so very well.

Canada came out swinging in this game, scoring two goals inside the first half hour. Qatar's defense and entire team were in shambles, and things only got worse when Homanm Elamin stopped Canada from getting a third goal by committing a denial-of-a-goal-scoring-opportunity foul, resulting in a red card. Jonathan David scored his second goal for Canada to make it 3-0 before the break, and the goals and cards did not stop flowing there.

Canada's Jonathan David scores their sixth goal to complete a hat-trick

Albert Gea

In the 51st minute, Qatar's Assim Madibo kicked through the back of Canada's Ismaël Koné's leg. This broke the Canadian midfielder's leg and resulted in Qatar's second red card. Canada would go on to score three more goals, David scored the last of those to record a hat-trick, securing their first-ever win at a World Cup. 6-0 was the final, but things didn't end after the whistle was blown.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch signals six as he celebrates after the match

Agustin Marcarian

During the handshake, Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui seemed to have an issue with Canada coach Jesse Marsch over the reaction to the red-card offense that broke Koné's leg. The squirmish escalated to both benches getting involved. Either way, both Canada and Qatar are on very different trajectories.

Day 8, Group B, Round-up:

Group B finally had some winners and losers. Canada and Switzerland scored 10 goals combined in their wins. Bosnia and Herzegovina may be two nations combined, but they were the only team between them and Qatar to score one goal in a loss. Group B is taking shape after two games; no team has qualified for the knockout rounds, leaving things to the last game in the group.

Day nine sees Group C and D play their matchday two games, including the USMNT, who are hoping to be the second of the three hosts to qualify for the knockout rounds. Tune in for all the action, and be sure to come back to Metro Philly Sports Network tomorrow for recaps of all the action!