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Jun 19, 2026 Major2
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Canada Defeats Nine-Man Qatar 6–0 in Historic First World Cup Victory
Canada won their first-ever World Cup match with a 6–0 victory over nine-man Qatar in Vancouver on Thursday, with Jonathan David scoring a hat-trick. The triumph was overshadowed by a serious injury to midfielder Ismael Kone, who was stretchered off after a tackle by Qatar's Assim Madibo in the 51st minute.
Quick Facts
Who
Canada national football team
What
Canada defeated Qatar 6–0
When
Thursday, June 19, 2026
Where
BC Place stadium
- Canada defeated Qatar 6–0
- Canada's first-ever World Cup victory
- Jonathan David scored a hat-trick
- Ismael Kone suffered a serious leg injury
- Assim Madibo sent off after VAR review
Canada secured their first-ever World Cup victory on Thursday with a dominant 6–0 triumph over Qatar in a Group B match at BC Place in Vancouver. Jonathan David scored a hat-trick—the 56th in men's World Cup history and the second of the 2026 tournament—while Cyle Larin and Nathan Saliba each contributed one goal, and Qatar conceded an own goal. The victory leaves Canada needing only a draw against Switzerland in their final group match to finish top of the group.
The match was marked by disciplinary turbulence that shaped its outcome. Qatar's Homam Ahmed was sent off in the first half, and in the 51st minute, midfielder Assim Madibo received a red card following a VAR review after initially being shown yellow for a clumsy challenge from behind on Canada's Ismael Kone. The tackle left the Italy-based Kone writhing in agony and clutching his left leg; he was stretchered off the pitch requiring oxygen assistance, casting a shadow over Canada's historic achievement. With Qatar reduced to nine men, Canada exploited their numerical advantage to score three additional goals in the second half.
Nathan Saliba, who entered the match as Kone's replacement, curled in a free-kick in the 64th minute to make it 4–0 and celebrated by holding up a replica of Kone's jersey at the sideline. Substitute Jacob Shaffelburg then assisted a fifth goal when his fierce shot was deflected into the Qatar goal by defender Mohamed Manai. David completed his hat-trick in stoppage time to seal the rout.
The celebratory atmosphere—with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in attendance—was tempered by concern for Kone's serious injury and post-match confrontations between the two teams. Despite the challenging circumstances, David reflected on the historic nature of Canada's performance: "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." David became the first CONCACAF men's player to score a hat-trick at the World Cup since 1930 and the first Canadian man to record multiple goals in a World Cup match.
Why This Matters
Canada's first World Cup victory is a watershed moment for the nation's football program, validating years of investment and development in their men's national team. The emphatic 6–0 scoreline against a nine-man Qatar demonstrates Canada's emerging competitive strength in international football. However, the serious injury to Kone raises immediate concerns about squad depth ahead of their final group match against Switzerland, which will determine whether Canada can top Group B and secure a favorable knockout-stage draw.