Canada Crush Nine-Man Qatar 6-0 To Seal Historic First World Cup Win

Published 19 June 2026 · sports

Canada Crush Nine-Man Qatar 6-0 To Seal Historic First World Cup Win Published By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 09:25 IST Jonathan David scored a

Canada Crush Nine-Man Qatar 6-0 To Seal Historic First World Cup Win Published By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 09:25 IST Jonathan David scored a hat-trick as Canada thrashed nine-man Qatar 6-0 for their first-ever World Cup win, though Ismael Kone's serious injury dampened celebrations. Rapid Read (Credit: AP) Canada recorded the first FIFA World Cup victory in their history with a ruthless 6-0 demolition of nine-man Qatar on Thursday, moving to the brink of topping Group B. Jonathan David stole the headlines with a superb hat-trick, while Cyle Larin, Nathan Saliba and an own goal from Qatar completed a memorable night for the hosts at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium. With Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in attendance, Les Rouges delivered a statement performance and now need only a draw against Switzerland in their final group match to secure top spot.

Larin set the tone early by opening the scoring in the 16th minute before David took over. The Lille striker struck twice before halftime as Canada surged into complete control against a Qatar side already reduced to 10 men after Homam El-Amin was sent off in the first half. However, the match took a grim turn shortly after the break. Midfielder Ismael Kone suffered what appeared to be a serious left-leg injury in the 51st minute after a reckless challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo. Kone immediately collapsed in agony, prompting frantic calls for medical assistance from his teammates. The Canada international was eventually stretchered off while receiving oxygen, waving to supporters as he left the pitch. After a VAR review, Madibo’s yellow card was upgraded to a red, leaving Qatar down to nine men and effectively ending any hopes of a comeback.

Canada made the numerical advantage count. Substitute Nathan Saliba, who replaced the injured Kone, curled home a stunning free-kick in the 64th minute to make it 4-0. In an emotional tribute, Saliba celebrated by holding up a replica of Kone’s jersey on the touchline. Jacob Shaffelburg then forced Qatar defender Mohammad Manai into an own goal for Canada’s fifth, before David completed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time to cap a dominant display. The result sends Canada firmly into the knockout-stage conversation and marks a landmark moment in the nation’s football history, though concerns over Kone’s condition ensured celebrations remained tempered after the final whistle. (with AFP inputs) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Siddarth Sriram After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas.