Canada seal quarter-final place at Women's World Cup with Switzerland win

Jose Belanger's second-half strike was enough to send Canada into the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup following their 1-0 victory over Switzerland.

Canada came into the contest with the added pressure of being the host nation, and it was evident throughout a cagey first half that spawned just two shots in total.

It was the Swiss who had both efforts, as Ramona Bachmann's angled effort forced Erin McLeod into a smart save on 11 minutes.

The visitors continued to look dangerous around Canada's penalty box and Vanessa Bernauer fired narrowly wide of the mark in what proved the last effort of the half.

The hosts emerged the better of both sides from the interval and opened the scoring on 52 minutes through Belanger.

Rhiann Wilkinson's pin-point cross was met by Christine Sinclair, who laid off to Belanger and the striker found the bottom corner with aplomb past Gaelle Thalmann.

The goal - her first at international level since 2011 - seemed to reinvigorate the 29-year-old, who then curled just wide of the target before the hour mark as Canada grew in confidence.

Unperturbed, the Swiss carried on and could have equalised on 62 minutes, but Ana Ana Crnogorevic, from a little over six yards out, missed the target as the chance went begging.

Switzerland put the pressure on Canada late in the match as Bernauer launched a shot at goal, but her effort was well saved by McLeod to preserve her side's narrow lead.

The Swiss piled forward in numbers in the dying minutes of the match, but Canada were resilient at the back to hold out for the win to secure their place in the last eight of the competition.