Victoria was alive with excitement on Thursday as Canada won its first-ever World Cup game. Just off Johnson Street in Market Square, over 1,000 rowdy fans watched the country’s FIFA squad make history with a 6-0 victory against Qatar. “I think we proved a lot of doubters wrong,” said Canada supporter Roman Zaliskyy. “Personally, I couldn’t have dreamed of such a big win. I knew we had it in us, but that was beyond my wildest dreams.” The crowd’s cheers could be heard blocks away
as Canada’s Cyle Larin, Jonathan David, Nathan Saliba and Mohammed Manai netted shot after shot. With three of those goals, David became the first World Cup host-country player to score a hat trick since England’s Geoff Hirst in 1966. Canada took 31 shots compared to Qatar’s two and held possession for 78 per cent of the game. They also passed with 93 per cent accuracy, while Qatar only managed precision in 68 per cent of their passes. “It really showed how much better Canada was,”
said fan Michael McKay. “I thought Canada was much more ruthless in their attack. They weren’t timid.” This win makes it highly probable that Canada will progress out of its group stage to single-elimination knockout play. But despite the result, the match wasn’t all roses for Canadian fans. In the 57th minute, silence fell over Market Square as Canada’s Ismaël Koné was taken off the field on a stretcher after a hard tackle from Qatar’s Assim Madibo left him with what looked like a broken
leg. “I was just stunned,” said Zaliskyy. “I honestly couldn’t believe it. I wasn’t even processing the fact that he broke his leg. It was devastating to see it happen.” Madibo was given a red card 20 minutes after his teammate Homam Ahmed was also served a flash of red, leaving Qatar with only nine players to face Canada’s 11. “Once you go down one man, it changes the whole complexion of the game,” said McKay. “You go down two – after that, it’s over.”
Like so many fans, McKay hopes Canada’s win against Qatar will give them momentum in games to come. “If you can win a game in the round of 32, I think that’d be really huge as a nation,” he said. “Anything past that would just be unbelievable.” As for Zaliskyy, he thinks Canada’s Alphonso Davies, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury but could return in the team’s next match, will help give Canada even more momentum moving forward. “Koné’s injury I think is
going to fire the boys up,” he added. “I expect another big result.” Canada plays Switzerland, which previously tied Qatar 1-1, on June 24. Market Square will continue to show Canada games live.
Canada, Qatar, World Cup, Victoria, Market Square, Roman Zaliskyy, Michael McKay, Jonathan David, Ismaël Koné, Assim Madibo, Homam Ahmed, Alphonso Davies, June 24, Switzerland
6-0 is insane. I don’t even watch soccer but that crowd noise would’ve made my ears ring.
So they won big but someone broke a leg?? Like that’s the part everyone should be talking about. Also “Market Square” sounds made up lol.
That hat trick stat is wild, but I’m confused—Canada hosts the World Cup? I thought it was in the US like… somewhere else. Anyway red cards usually mean refs favor one team so idk.
I feel bad for Koné, that’s brutal. But also Qatar only had two shots??? Either Canada was way better or Qatar forgot to show up. And if Davies comes back next game then it’s gonna be another massacre, like I can already see it. The “progress out of group stage is highly probable” part… sure, until something crazy happens, like it always does.