Canada thrash nine-man Qatar 6-0 in dominant World Cup display
By Enitan Abdultawab
Canada secured the first FIFA World Cup victory in their history in emphatic fashion on Thursday night, thrashing nine-man Qatar 6-0 in a chaotic Group B clash at BC Place in Vancouver.
A Jonathan David hat-trick inspired the hosts to a dominant win that was overshadowed by a serious injury to midfielder Ismael Kone, two Qatar red cards, and a heated post-match confrontation between players from both teams.
David struck three times, while Cyle Larin and Nathan Saliba added goals of their own, with Qatar defender Mohamed Manai also turning the ball into his own net as the Canadians overwhelmed their opponents.
The match took a worrying turn shortly after halftime when Kone suffered a horrific injury following a challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo. The midfielder was left writhing in pain and clutching his left leg as teammates urgently signalled for medical assistance.
Madibo was initially shown a yellow card but was later sent off after a VAR review upgraded the punishment to a straight red. The dismissal left Qatar with nine men after Homam Ahmed had already been sent off in the first half.
Kone was eventually stretchered off the pitch while receiving oxygen, waving to supporters as he departed. The emotional moment visibly affected the Canadian players.
With the numerical advantage, Canada tightened their grip on the contest. Saliba, who replaced the injured Kone, scored a superb free-kick in the 64th minute to make it 4-0 before celebrating by holding up Kone’s jersey and pointing to the midfielder’s number eight.
Canada continued to pile on the pressure as Jacob Shaffelburg’s effort was diverted into the net by Manai before David completed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time to cap a memorable evening for the hosts.
The three-goal haul made David only the second player to score a hat-trick at the 2026 World Cup and the first male player from the CONCACAF region to achieve the feat at the tournament since 1930. He also became the first Canadian man to score more than once in a World Cup match.
Despite the historic result, David admitted Kone’s injury cast a shadow over the celebrations.
“It was a great game even before he got hurt, but I think after he got hurt, it was tough to focus on the game, even finishing the game,” David said after the match.
“We just wanted the game to end so we could all be together.”
Reflecting on Canada’s landmark victory, he added: “It will take a few days to sink in, but obviously we know that what we’ve done today is historical for the country, our first win in the World Cup, and to do it in that fashion is really amazing.”
The tension did not end with the final whistle as players from both sides became involved in a confrontation near the halfway line, forcing FIFA officials and team staff to intervene and separate the teams.
The victory leaves Canada in a strong position to finish top of Group B, needing only a draw against Switzerland in their final group match.
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