At full strength, Canada can go toe-to-toe with any opponent in the Americas. After steady climbs up the Concacaf charts and a credible run to the 2024 Copa América semi-final, all hope was that a talented squad could find their stride at a home World Cup.
That belief came to life on Thursday, as Jesse Marsch’s side played a dominant 6-0 win over Qatar before a crowd of 52,497 for the country’s first-ever victory at a men’s World Cup. Jonathan David’s hat-trick led the celebration of the program’s progress over the past decade, marred only by a horror leg injury suffered by midfielder Ismaël Koné in the second half.
The Vancouver crowd opened with a rousing rendition of O Canada, forging the proverbial 12th-man atmosphere that Marsch ordered up entering the match. Their team wasted no time in keeping their block of possession in the Qatar half, eager to ratchet up the pressure from the very start.
For the first eight minutes, save for one break, Canada kept Qatar pinned back. Only after an Akram Afif scamper and a drawn foul did the visitors find some semblance of balance. It would prove the proverbial calm before a storm settled into BC Place and rocked Julen Lopetegui’s side.
In their World Cup opener, a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada sent in nine corners without posing much of a scoring threat. Drawing three in the opening half-hour on Thursday, one proved indirectly vital toward the breakthrough. Ali Ahmed’s service caromed around as Qatar failed to clear their lines. The ball fell to Cyle Larin, the hero in the opener, to kick off a raucous celebration.
After the first-half hydration break, Canada got back to work. Alastair Johnston played a ball up the channel to Tajon Buchanan, who fashioned a shot that was eventually blocked. The ball took a curious loop right into David’s patch of pitch. The Juventus forward connected on a silky volley before the ball hit the ground, with no chance for the diving Mahmoud Abunada to stop it.
Things got worse for Qatar. Minutes after David’s goal, Canada played another ball beyond the defense into Buchanan, who bolted toward the box before being taken down by a desperate Homam Ahmed. While a VAR check was necessary, its purpose was more to ensure that Buchanan hadn’t been fouled inside the box rather than any effort to spare Ahmed’s blushes. The Qatar left-back was given a straight red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Canada continued to seize their opportunities. In the 38th minute, with Abunada committed to a dive at his far post, the ball found Buchanan for a potential poacher’s goal, only for Akram Afif to clear it off the line. Even as the stadium announcer indicated there would be six minutes of stoppage time, nearly everybody wearing red in the stands stayed in their seats.
The loyalists were rewarded just before half-time. Buchanan played a far-post cross from the right to Larin, whose header was saved. The ball again hung in the air just long enough for David to get a vital touch and send it into goal. David and midfielder Stephen Eustáquio engaged in a chest bump, closing a 51-minute run through dreamland.
Once the second half began, Canada wasted no time advancing into the attacking third, pinning Qatar and toying with them with passes around the box’s perimeter. In the 51st minute, Koné turned his back to help send a pass to his defensive line. Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo put a little extra into a tardy attempt to stop his pass. Instead, he clattered with the back of Koné’s leg, an initial yellow card that sent Eustaquio into hysterics as he notified Marsch and the Canada bench of what he’d seen – Koné’s leg dangling in an unnatural shape.
The cameras caught Koné’s reaction as he assessed his lower left leg, a look of shock and disbelief. Madibo looked dismayed, hands on the sides of his head. Video review upgraded his offense to a red card and sent Qatar down to nine players. Several of Koné’s teammates were visibly beside themselves.
And yet, the heart of Canada met the moment. A nation known for its neighborly nature soundtracked Koné’s stretchering to the sideline with an ovation, with Koné stopping the process briefly to take in the sight of support. As he was carried past both benches toward the tunnel behind Maxime Crepeau’s net, he sat straight up and waved to the tens of thousands wishing him well, chanting his name .
Canada did their best to resume their domination after a few minutes of letting the ball roll again. When Nathan Saliba – the midfielder who took Koné’s place – buried a direct free kick in the 64th minute, he immediately turned to point toward the tunnel down which Koné went and fashioned a No 8 with his hands. Two minutes later, the stadium sustained a wave with seemingly perfect participation, with the corner of Qatar supporters dutifully keeping their momentum in spite of what had become a gruesome affair for the visitors.
After Switzerland opened the second round of Group B matches with a 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada continued to pad their goal difference. Another sequence off a dead ball found Jacob Shaffelburg, whose far-post shot would have flown wide of the post if not for a desperate Mohamed Al Mannai who throttled it into his own net. David made it six in stoppage time, steadying a ball from Saliba and firing past a helpless Abunada for his hat-trick.
While games south of the border have become known for curious celebrity cameos, the loudest cheer of the day beyond the goal celebrations was for an 86th-minute scoreboard shot of Christine Sinclair, the sport’s all-time leading international goalscorer of any gender.
Perhaps the Canadian men will have their own heroes’ welcomes after their careers come to a close. While Alphonso Davies, the star defender recovering from a hamstring injury, was available but understandably spared from joining a game that already had seen two red cards, the likes of David and Koné are well on their way to famous careers for club and country alike. In fact, all 26 players are now in the history books: the first group of Canadian men to win at a World Cup.