Canada secured this Thursday their first-ever World Cup victory by defeating Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver, leading Group B despite a severe injury to midfielder Ismael Kone.
The Canadian national team achieved a historic milestone on June 18 at the BC Place stadium in Vancouver. By defeating their opponent 6-0, the local squad earned its first victory in the history of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Cyle Larín, Jonathan David in three opportunities, Nathan-Dylan Saliba and Mohamed Al-Mannai (against) were the authors of the goals for the resounding Canadian holdup, which was just a step away from hitting his ticket to the World Cup final 16.
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From the opening whistle, the host nation dominated the pitch with intensive wing play. The tactical pressure paid off in the 16th minute when striker Jonathan David fired a powerful volley.
Qatari goalkeeper Meshaal Mahmud blocked the initial shot, but forward Cyle Larin quickly seized the rebound to open the score.
The offensive pressure did not cease and Canada doubled their lead in the 28th minute. After a deflection by the Qatari defense, Jonathan David controlled the ball and scored with a precise low shot.
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The match was heavily impacted in the 32nd minute when defender Homam Al Amin brought down a Canadian attacker. Chilean referee Cristian Marcelo Garay Reyes initially awarded a penalty and a yellow card. However, after a review by video assistant referee Juan Ignacio Lara Luco, the official ruled the foul occurred outside the penalty box. He subsequently canceled the penalty, awarded a free kick and issued a direct red card to Al Amin for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
In the 47th minute, during first-half stoppage time, Cyle Larin won a header inside the penalty area. The goalkeeper blocked the header, but Jonathan David reacted immediately to score the rebound, establishing a comfortable 3-0 lead before halftime.
Red Cards and Injuries
The second half brought further drama to the pitch. Early in the period, midfielder Ismael Kone suffered a severe injury following a violent tackle by Qatari player Madibo.
While the medical staff carried Ismael Kone off the field on a stretcher, who suffered a severe tibia fracture, the video assistant referee intervened once again. The official upgraded Madibo’s initial yellow card to a direct red card, leaving Qatar with nine players.
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Capitalizing on the numerical advantage, the local team fully controlled the game. In the 63rd minute, midfielder Nathan Saliba executed a powerful free-kick that went into the net.
The Canadian advantage grew even wider in the 74th minute. Substitute winger Jacob Shaffelburg shot from inside the box, and defender Mohammed Al Mannai accidentally deflected the ball into his own goal, making it 5-0.
In the 91st minute, Nathan Saliba shot from long range. Jonathan David redirected the ball into the net to complete his hat-trick and seal the final 6-0 score.
The definition of Group B’s positions will be finalized next Wednesday, when Canada faces Switzerland.
The Canadian team leads the Group with four points, ahead of Switzerland in having the best difference of goal (+6 against +3) waiting for the match between both on the last date. For its part, the Asian squad appears in the last place, with one unit and worst goalscorer of Bosnia (-6 vs -3), opponent with which they will close on the third day of competition.
Canada will face Switzerland in Vancouver while Qatar will be rival of Bosnia in Seattle, two matches that will play on June 24 to define the qualifiers to the next round.
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