Canada routs Qatar 6-0 as Kone stretchered off

Jonathan David scored a first-ever World Cup hat trick as Canada overwhelmed Qatar 6-0 at BC Place. The win left Canada on four points and leading Group B on goal differential, even as Ismael Kone suffered a serious left leg injury that required a stretcher an

BC Place in Vancouver sounded like a celebration with a deadline—only it turned into something bigger, louder, and harder to ignore as Canada crushed Qatar 6-0.

Jonathan David. Canada’s all-time leading scorer. finally found his footing at the men’s World Cup after never previously scoring. He answered with a hat trick. turning what had been a chase since 2022 into a perfect afternoon: eight attempts. five on target. and three goals. Cyle Larin opened the scoring as the host team piled on, and the crowd refused to let the momentum drift.

But the night also carried a jolt. Ismael Kone was taken off on a stretcher after an apparent serious left leg injury. His replacement. Nathan Saliba. stepped forward moments later. curling in from a free kick from 20 yards and then holding up Kone’s jersey in tribute—part goal. part salute. all urgency.

By the final whistle, Canada was not just celebrating a landmark result—it was also treating the knockout picture like something real. With Thursday’s three points, Canada reached four points and moved into leading Group B based on goal differential, the first tiebreaker.

The match’s turning points were brutal and quick. Qatar had been reduced to nine men after a VAR review: Assim Madibo was sent off for serious foul play. The red card came on the same challenge that left Kone needing a stretcher. Madibo had already been booked earlier, and while the tackle looked mistimed rather than malicious, VAR ruled the force excessive.

Earlier, the collapse began long before the stretcher. Homan El Amin was sent off in the 34th minute after fouling Tajon Buchanan. The referee initially pointed to the penalty spot. showing only a yellow card. but VAR checked and determined the foul happened just outside the box. With the foul denying a clear scoring chance. the yellow was upgraded to a straight red. and Canada’s afternoon shifted from dominant to merciless—especially as Canada was already cruising at the time.

Canada’s goals kept stacking. Larin’s 16th-minute strike came off a rebound: Alistair Johnston sent over a cross from the right side. Jonathan David shot it hard. Mahmoud Abunda knocked it down. and Larin pounced to finish in the pack of the net. Larin became the first Canadian player to score multiple career goals at a World Cup; he had scored a late tying goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina the previous week.

David then extended the lead. In the 29th minute, he doubled Canada’s advantage after a run from Tajon Buchanan. Buchanan chopped the ball onto his left foot and fired toward goal; the shot deflected into David’s path, and David finished.

In stoppage time, David completed his hat trick with three goals in a single afternoon—his second World Cup hat trick in tournament history, after Lionel Messi’s against Algeria.

Qatar’s nightmare kept unfolding even as they tried to salvage what remained. Down a man and down three goals before halftime. they made lineup changes at the break: Ahmed Fathy came on for Edmilson Junior. and Mohamed Al-Mannai replaced Jassem Gaber. For Canada, Moise Bombito replaced Derek Cornelius.

There were more moments that made the match feel like it was slipping further out of reach for Qatar. Canada recorded a quick set of chances through the flow of the game. including a moment early on when Akram Afif down the left floated a ball to the back post. but Edmilson Junior couldn’t guide his header to the target.

The sequence also left little room for comfort. Canada and Qatar had started Group B level on one point. with Canada chasing the first World Cup win in its history. Alphonso Davies had been cleared to play after a hamstring injury. but he began on the bench as coach Jesse Marsch said Wednesday he would decide how to use Davies based on how the match developed. Richie Laryea started at left back in Davies’ place. Canada did not need to pull Davies off the bench to find the scoring surge.

The crowd included its own legend. Canadian soccer icon Christine Sinclair was in attendance at BC Place. and when she was shown on the jumbotron. the home support erupted. Sinclair is the all-time leading goal scorer in international soccer. men’s or women’s. and she is also a British Columbia native.

The human note of the match wasn’t only the injury—it was also the way Canada kept responding when the game changed status. Qatar went down to nine players after Madibo’s dismissal following VAR. Canada continued to press. Saliba scored from a free kick 20 yards out. then held up Kone’s jersey. making clear how quickly the stadium moved from celebration to concern.

What remains clear is the split between the scoreboard and the moment. Canada’s path to four points and top spot in Group B was paved with ruthless finishing and a first-ever World Cup burst for David and Larin. Yet the same match included an incident serious enough to require a stretcher. with Canada set to await word on how serious Kone’s left leg injury is.

The game’s flow also reflected the risk and restraint involved once the cards started falling. Derek Cornelius went into the referee book with a yellow card in the ninth minute. forcing him to be careful against Qatar’s threat—especially Akram Afif. who could break from behind if Canada hesitated. Canada also appealed for a spot kick after Richie Laryea went down inside the box in the fourth minute. but the referee waved play on and a quick VAR check confirmed no call.

Prime Minister Mark Carney watched from a VIP box alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, underscoring how much the result mattered beyond the pitch.

In the end, Canada is standing on the edge of the knockout rounds for the first time—knowing the kind of win that can define a tournament run. But the night will likely be remembered just as much for the stretcher, the pause in the momentum, and Saliba’s tribute as Kone left the field.

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