Jonathan David, right, celebrates his second of three goals in Canada's blowout victory over Qatar at the World Cup in Vancouver on Thursday.Agustin Marcarian/Reuters
It took 40 years and three World Cup appearances but Canada on Thursday in Vancouver – at long last – won its first game on soccer’s premier stage, a rousing rout of a victory, 6-0, against Qatar.
But the win came alongside a brutal cost. Early in the second half, linchpin midfielder Ismaël Koné broke his leg after a Qatari tackle. It happened near the sideline by Canada’s bench.
Everyone heard the bone snap.
The drubbing of Qatar means Canada keeps pace with Group B favourite Switzerland, which rolled over Bosnia-Herzegovina, 4-1, earlier on Thursday in Los Angeles. Canada’s big showdown with the Swiss, which will determine the group winner, happens next Wednesday, June 24, here in Vancouver.
The powerfully emotional victory is one Canada coach Jesse Marsch had imagined, minus the injury, in his vision for how the World Cup bright lights could “create an identity of what Canadian soccer could be.”
“You need moments like today,” Marsch said.
And given the half-dozen goals against Qatar, all Canada needs is a draw against Switzerland to win Group B. Such an outcome would mean Canada’s first-ever appearance in the World Cup’s knockout rounds, with a home game in Vancouver on July 2 in the round of 32.
Marsch said the mission now is clear: “Do everything we can to win the group and really make a run in this tournament.”
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After the final whistle Thursday, players from both teams tussled in a brief push-and-shove on the field before the fracas fizzled. Emotions poured out. The Canadian squad felt the Koné injury intensely, some near tears and others fiery with anger. The team gathered in a long circular huddle following the post-match scrapping with Qatar.
At a soldout BC Place Vancouver, more than 52,000 fans almost all in Canadian red saluted the team with a standing ovation at halftime. After the game, they lingered on their feet, cheering, few if any immediately departing.
The result on the field was, obviously, a full-on blowout. Shots in general were 33-2 for Canada, and 10-0 for shots on goal. Of play measured in the final third of the pitch, Canada controlled 96 per cent of the match’s attacking.
Canada had been stuck in a long goal scoring slump and on Thursday delivered a deluge. Striker Jonathan David, the Canadian men’s all-time leading scorer who hadn’t put a ball in the net for his country since last September, banged in three goals. He also helped make the opening strike from Cyle Larin happen. Canada has never lost when Larin scores.
For the first time in a World Cup match, everything went right for Canada – almost everything, that is, until the big blow to Koné. He fractured what appeared to be his tibia after a brief encounter with Qatar’s Assim Madibo. Referees ejected Madibo with a red card, Qatar’s second of the match. Medics carted off Koné to a hospital for surgery but before departure Madibo went to see Koné to apologize.
As Koné exited, he waved to the crowd. It was a rallying moment for Canada. Substitute Nathan Saliba, who came in for Koné, scored in the 64th minute on a perfect free kick that knocked in off the post. Saliba celebrated Koné by holding up his fallen teammate’s jersey. The goal may have been a sort of retribution – but the loss of Koné is a heavy cost.
Koné leaves Qatar game on stretcher
David, after the game, told reporters the hat trick was the last thing on his mind.
“I wasn’t thinking about the match or the goals, I was thinking about him,” David said in French.
“He’s someone that we love a lot,” David added. “It was a difficult moment, obviously, but we have to stay strong for him and do it for him.”
Marsch described the team as a brotherhood.
Defender Alistair Johnston after the game spoke of the raw emotion of Koné’s injury.
“It is the biggest night,” Johnston said. “Just unfortunate that it’s such a bittersweet night.”
Thursday’s win had been there for the taking. Qatar, even though it managed a 1-1 draw last Saturday against Switzerland, was the decidedly weaker team. Bookmakers marked Canada as the heavy favourite. Even a draw was unlikely.
When it counted the most, Canada met the moment.
Cyle Larin deploys his signature celebration after opening the scoring in Thursday's lopsided match.Fran Santiago/Getty Images
Canada pressed Qatar immediately from the start, unlike the so-so early performance in its World Cup opener last Friday in Toronto. That game was salvaged in the second half in a 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
On Thursday, at the 16-minute mark, after waves of Canadian attacks yet not a ton of major chances, Canada broke through.
Johnston, deep in Qatar’s end, fought off two defenders and passed back to David, stationed near the top of the penalty area. David launched a shot at net. Qatari goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada saved but bobbled the ball and Larin, the hero last Friday, hit home the goal. His celebration, like last Friday, was his fingers plugging his ears, a clapback to all his naysayers.
The second goal came soon after, at the 29th minute. Johnston made the push, a Tajon Buchanan shot was blocked and David blasted in the rebound.
Canada’s performance marks a sort of exorcism. In seven previous World Cup games, it had never won. Last Friday’s draw was the first time Canada hadn’t lost at the World Cup. Yet coming into Thursday’s match, the big question was whether the team could score goals. In 11 previous international matches running back months, it struggled to score, notching only 12 goals, including the one against Bosnia.
Marsch has repeatedly said the goals would come. “We have firepower,” he said this month before the tournament.
It finally happened – at a crucial moment.
Now, Canada’s biggest-ever World Cup game is the next one, Switzerland on June 24. The Swiss are 19th in FIFA’s rankings after Thursday’s games, higher than Canada’s position in 30th.