Jonathan David hat trick propels Canada to first win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — While Canada made World Cup history against Qatar, its celebration was tempered by concern for an injured teammate.

Jonathan David scored three goals and Canada won its first World Cup match while all but securing a spot within the knockout round with a 6-0 victory over Qatar on Thursday.

Qatar was reduced to nine players due to red cards within the chaotic match. Assim Madibo was handed a red early within the second half after a tackle on Ismaël Koné, who was stretchered off with a broken left leg. Homan Ahmed was sent off in the primary half for a challenge on Tajon Buchanan.

With the outburst of scoring, Canada tripled its overall World Cup goal total. Cyle Larin scored within the Canadians’ opening draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Alphonso Davies scored 4 years ago in a loss to Croatia in Qatar, where Canada also got on the board with an own goal by Morocco. The Canadians were shut out thrice within the 1986 World Cup.

“Nobody will forget this, and no Canadian will forget at the present time,” said coach Jesse Marsch, who held up six fingers as he walked off the sector. “It’s an incredibly seminal moment for everybody to grasp that there’s talent on this country, that there’s mentality, that there’s desire, that there’s loads of things that make this country special.”

And the supporters who packed BC Place were ecstatic.

“We’re absorbing history right here,” fan Matthias Kempe said.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was among the many 52,497 fans in attendance after missing the sport in Toronto last week due to G7 summit in France. He sat with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“It was amazing. After every goal it got louder and louder,” David said. “It gave us motivation to get the subsequent goal and the subsequent goal.”

Canada’s Ismael Kone reacts on the bottom after sustaining an injury throughout the World Cup Group B soccer match against Qatar in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Canada’s triumph was marred by its anguish over Koné’s injury. Teammates surrounded him in concern after he was tackled from behind and crumpled to the pitch along with his lower left leg bent at a gruesome-looking angle. Madibo was clearly distraught before he was ejected.

Koné was taken to a hospital, were he was preparing for surgery. His family was with him, said Marsch, who confirmed the player’s leg was broken.

Larin scored his second goal of the tournament on a rebound within the sixteenth minute. Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada punched away David’s volley nevertheless it fell to Larin, who pointed to his ears in celebration because the red-clad crowd roared.

David doubled the lead with a right-footed volley within the twenty ninth, for his first goal within the run of play in greater than a 12 months.

Ahmed was sent off with a red card within the thirty third. The official initially pointed to the penalty spot, but after video review Canada was given a free kick just outside the box and the initial yellow card handed to Ahmed was modified to red.

Canada made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time when David scored in a scramble in front of the web off a shot that caromed off the crossbar. Qatari players stood with their hands on their hips in frustration while Canada celebrated.

Nathan Saliba, who got here in as an alternative choice to Koné, scored on a free kick within the sixty fourth to make it 4-0. Mohamed Manai deflected a shot past his goalkeeper for an own goal within the seventy fifth.

David accomplished the hat trick in stoppage time, joining Argentina’s Lionel Messi because the only players with three goals in a match on this World Cup.

“It was a really tough match for a lot of reasons. The players did their best. It was very difficult to face this match with two players less with this environment,” Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui said.

Qatar scored a stoppage-time goal to earn a surprising 1-1 draw with Group B favorite Switzerland in its opener. The Persian Gulf country remains to be on the lookout for its first World Cup win after losing all of its group matches 4 years ago because the host.

Switzerland defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1 earlier within the day in Group B.