Canada wrote their name into World Cup history on Thursday night, recording their first ever victory at the tournament with a ruthless 6-0 dismantling of Qatar at BC Place in Vancouver.
The result was everything a host nation could have asked for, except for one thing: midfielder Ismael Kone was stretchered off with a serious leg injury that threatened to disrupt the entire night.
Jonathan David was the story on the pitch, scoring a hat-trick to power Canada to a Group B win that was never really in doubt. Cyle Larin and substitute Nathan Saliba also scored, with Qatar defender Mohamed Manai adding an own goal as the hosts ran riot against an opponent reduced to nine men.
Qatar’s evening unravelled quickly. Homam Ahmed was sent off in the first half, and Assim Madibo followed him in the second after VAR upgraded his foul on Kone from a yellow to a straight red. The challenge left Kone clutching his left leg and requiring oxygen on the pitch before he was carried off on a stretcher, waving to the crowd as he went.
Saliba, brought on to replace the injured Kone, made an immediate impact, curling home a free-kick to make it 4-0 and then holding up his teammate’s number eight jersey in celebration. It was a moment that summed up the emotional tug-of-war playing out on the pitch.
David completed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time. The strike made him only the second player to bag three goals at the 2026 World Cup, the first male CONCACAF player to achieve the feat since 1930, and the first Canadian man to score more than once in a World Cup match.
Yet David was measured in his response. “It was a great game even before he got hurt, but after, it was tough to focus,” he said of Kone’s injury. “We just wanted the game to end so we could all be together.”
On the historic win, he added: “It will take a few days to sink in, but what we’ve done today is historical for the country.”
The drama did not end at full time. Players from both sides clashed near the halfway line after the whistle, with FIFA officials and team staff forced to step in before the confrontation escalated.
Canada now need only a draw against Switzerland in their final group match to top Group B.
