Canada World Cup game highlights: The historic 6-0 match against Qatar, Koné's injury and the fans' celebrations

06/18/26 22:32

Opinion: Canada is showing it deserves its spot in the World Cup

– Cathal Kelly

World Cups tend to advantage two types of teams. First, traditional powers who feel they can go three-quarter speed until near the end, hoarding their resources for the big fights. Then there are the outsiders who put their foot on the floor from the get-go. Every once in a while, one of those sneaks nearly to the end. Morocco in 2022 and South Korea in 2002 are recent examples. Korea also had the advantage of playing at home.

You’re starting to get the feeling that one of the hosts will make that sort of run. So far, all three have looked better than their most reasonable projections, but none have come further, faster than Canada.

Read the full column here.

06/18/26 22:18

One guy in handcuffs on Granville, but even he was in good spirits

– Jesse Winter

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As fans packed Granville Street after Canada’s blowout win, some people were apparently partying harder than others. Police had one man in handcuffs, though I could hear him trading jokes with some of the officers.

The street was absolutely packed when I cruised through on my way back to the newsroom: people stood shoulder to shoulder, and it took me almost half an hour to walk a single block.

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Speaking of walking, after 27,070 steps today (23.7 kilometres), I am calling it an evening! Thanks for following along!

06/18/26 22:12

Fan in opposition jersey celebrates big win for Canada

– Mike Hager

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Like many of the crazed young men at the epicentre of Vancouver’s celebration, Ahmed Najm couldn’t stop jumping on his friend’s shoulders to incite the tightly-wound crowd with chants and even slapping a drum he brought to the centre of the intersection of Granville and Smithe streets.

The 23-year-old who immigrated to Metro Vancouver from Syria five years ago, was, however, the only one clad in the opposition jersey.

Fresh from watching his Arabic brethren get walloped in person in the stadium, Mr. Najm said he and his friend wanted to come out and celebrate the big win for their adopted country.

“We were surprised by the score,” he said.

06/18/26 21:40

Vancouver gets thumbs up from players

– Moira Wyton

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Team Canada players gave Vancouver and BC Place a big thumbs up after their home game in the host city, saying the crowd’s support helped them make history and recalibrate after a distressing injury.

“I just want to thank everybody from Vancouver and from Canada overall, but I think everybody from Vancouver especially, because it’s such a beautiful stadium,” said Stefan Eustáquio after the match. “I really feel that we’re a soccer country.”

But it’s impossible for the team to compare Vancouver and Toronto like apples to apples, however.

“We gave them a little more to cheer for today,” Alistair Johnston told reporters with a laugh.

06/18/26 21:28

Today’s victory was a mixed bag for Team Canada veteran

– Moira Wyton

Tonight’s win was one to be proud of, said Canadian men’s team veteran Stephen Eustáquio, even though he feels a bit “empty.”

“We knew that the goal differential was very important for us and we pushed the game as much as we could,” he said. “We had good opportunities, and I think the fact that we tried to push the game shows that we respect the Qatari players.”

06/18/26 21:20

Alistair Johnston on teammate Koné’s injury: ‘It’s a bittersweet night’

– Moira Wyton

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A 6-0 blowout didn’t feel quite so good as it usually would tonight, Alistair Johnston said.

“It’s just unfortunate, it’s a bittersweet night,” the defender told reporters after the match.

While he said he hoped Ismaël Koné wasn’t thinking too much in the hospital, the whole team’s thoughts are with him.

“I know how much he loves the game,” Johnson said.

06/18/26 21:10

Fan compares victory celebration to Vancouver Olympics

– Mike Hager

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The whistle Jodi Bartlett says she learned growing up in Moose Jaw, Sask., is so deafening it almost eclipsed the thousands screaming about the victory on Granville Street.

The 64-year-old had been watching the match with her husband at a downtown bar, then decided to come celebrate with the people on the street, most of whom are in their teens and 20s.

With her Canadian flag necklace, red shirt and festive antennas, or “diddlyboppers” as the suburban Vancouver resident calls them, she helped spread the cheer she can only liken to the last time the city hosted a party this joyous.

“It takes us right back to the 2010 Olympics. This is the most awesome vibe,” she said before putting her fingers to her mouth for another screeching whistle.

06/18/26 21:04

Explicit chant ensues in Granville Street’s post-game cacophony

– Mike Hager

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As madness erupted on Vancouver’s packed Granville Street strip following Team Canada’s momentous win, a crowd of shirtless and well-lubricated young men began an explicit chant against Qatar.

Antony Muthusi, a 21-year-old who immigrated from Kenya to a Vancouver suburb with his family four years ago, saw this indignity and intervened to silence the rowdy crowd, getting them to instead wave their arms at the Canadian flag he had laid on the street.

“It was disrespectful because they came out and played the game,” he said, adding that Canada has given him everything.

06/18/26 20:55

Jonathan David says he was thinking about Ismaël Koné when he achieved hat trick

– Moira Wyton

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Jonathan David was proud but subdued after his hat trick in Canada’s dominating victory.

“Well, it’s historical, obviously.
It’s our first win ever in the World Cup,” he told reporters post-game. “And to do it in this fashion, I think was very good.”

But the striker said after Ismaël Koné was stretchered off with a serious injury early in the second half, 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,” he said in French.

The team’s three goals after losing Koné were a testament to the fact “he’s someone that we love a lot,” David said.

“It was a difficult moment, obviously, but we have to stay strong for him and do it for him.”

06/18/26 20:36

Vancouver’s Fan Festival attendees are now ready for Mexico vs. South Korea

– Marsha Lederman

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If you couldn’t be at that absolute blowout game in person, a good Plan B for locals was the official FIFA Fan Festival on the eastern edge of Vancouver at the PNE grounds.

The good-natured crowd went wild on repeat – for each of the six goals, for Ismaël Koné’s wave to the crowd, for the final whistle. (There were also rounds of boos for each hydration break.)

Up next: Mexico vs. South Korea. Lots of fans in Mexican jerseys, flags and sombreros are out here in the sunshine. Good vibes all around.

06/18/26 20:20

Worries about Ismaël Koné’s injury cast cloud over victory

– Moira Wyton

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If you didn’t know the Canadian men just made history, their celebrations wouldn’t give you a hint.

The side exchanged fist-bumps and hugs, but it was far from emphatic as worries about teammate Ismaël Koné cast a cloud over the breakthrough.

Afterwards, the team walked around the field, waving to fans, holding up Koné’s No. 8 jersey and basking in the glow of a hometown victory.

06/18/26 20:17

A historic World Cup win for Team Canada

– Paul Attfield

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With all due respect to former baseball legend Bobby Thomson, Canada’s win may be the scoreline heard around the world.

According to TSN play-by-play commentator Luke Wileman, with its 6-0 victory on Thursday, Canada becomes the first team outside of either Europe or South America to score five or more goals in a World Cup match.

06/18/26 20:15

It was a huge win, but Team Canada has won bigger (on smaller stages)

– Neil Davidson

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Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar at the World Cup was comprehensive, but not a record for the Canadian men.

Their record goals total came in a 11-0 win over the Cayman Islands in March 2021 in a World Cup qualifier. At the time, Canada was ranked 73rd in the world, 120 places above the Caymans.

Canada followed that win up with a 7-0 victory over Aruba in another World Cup qualifier in June 2021.

Before that, the Canadian men’s previous scoring record was 8-0 over the U.S. Virgin Islands in September 2018 in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying play. The previous high in World Cup qualifying was a 7-0 victory in St. Lucia in October 2011.

Canada last scored a half-dozen goals in a 6-0 win over Guatemala at the CONCACAF Gold Cup on June 17, 2025.

06/18/26 20:13

Soccer hero Christine Sinclair took in Team Canada victory at BC Place

– Moira Wyton

The greatest of all time, Christine Sinclair, was in the house for the Canadian men’s first World Cup win. Perhaps the all-time leading international goal-scorer, raised in nearby Burnaby, B.C., was their good luck charm.

Today’s game was not Canada’s first World Cup win, as Sinclair’s presence reminds us. The Canadian women’s team has won nine games at the women’s World Cup, including two on home-soil when Canada hosted in 2015.

06/18/26 20:09

Victory at last: Canada steamrolls Qatar 6-0 for historic World Cup win

– David Ebner

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It took four decades across three World Cups 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.

The team, which had been stuck in a long goal scoring slump, delivered a deluge. Striker Jonathan David, Canada’s all-time scorer who hadn’t put a ball in the net from open play for his country since last September, banged in three goals. He also helped make the opening strike from Cyle Larin happen.

More than 52,000 fans at a soldout BC Place, almost all in Canadian red, saluted the team with a standing ovation at halftime.

The win 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 winner of Group B, happens next Wednesday, June 24, here in Vancouver.

Read the full story here.

06/18/26 20:08

Tension on the pitch after final whistle

– Moira Wyton

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A physical altercation broke out amid a swarm of players and staff from both teams moments after the final whistle blew.

Pushes and shoves were exchanged, and officials and some staff stepped in to forcibly separate the handful of offending parties.

From my vantage point, I couldn’t clearly identify who threw the first shove or who got caught up before the melee dispersed.

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06/18/26 20:02

Jonathan David’s in the race for the Golden Boot

– Sarah Wallace

Jonathan David’s hat trick puts him tied for the Golden Boot lead – awarded to the player who scores the most goals in a single World Cup tournament – with none other than Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

06/18/26 20:00

Jonathan David joins Lionel Messi with hat trick in 2026 World Cup

– Paul Attfield

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Jonathan David wraps up his hat trick with a goal in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, joining Lionel Messi as the two men with three-goal hauls to their name at this World Cup, to make it 6-0 for Canada.

Nathan Saliba fired a shot from outside the area, but it ended up bouncing in front of David, and he turned it into the net for his third career hat trick for Canada, and his 42nd goal for the program.

06/18/26 19:55

Canada’s lead sets team up for biggest win in history for a CONCACAF team at the World Cup

– Paul Attfield

If the score holds, the 5-0 scoreline will be the biggest win for a CONCACAF team at the World Cup, surpassing the 4-0 edge that Mexico beat El Salvador at the 1970 tournament.

With so many points in the bag, Jesse Marsch decides to give more legs a rest, withdrawing Tajon Buchanan in the 83rd minute in favour of defender Niko Sigur, a Burnaby, B.C., native who was a ball boy for a Canada match at BC Place just seven years ago.

06/18/26 19:49

There’s nothing to be nervous about

– Moira Wyton

With less than nine minutes (plus stoppage time) left, the Canadian men are closing in on their first World Cup win like a cat playing with a mouse before it eats it.

They’ve completely hemmed in Qatar’s remaining nine players, passing in circles around them in their own end. There’s nothing to be nervous about, and you can feel the crowd just counting down until that final whistle blows.

06/18/26 19:47

Canada isn’t letting up as fans at BC Place go berserk

– Moira Wyton

So I guess we got our answer – no, Canada isn’t going to let up.

The stadium is back to opening-goal levels of berserk after Jacob Shaffelburg’s shot rebounded off a Qatari defender and into the back of the net. While it’ll go on the scoresheet as an own-goal, the crowd’s celebrations gave Shaffelburg his due and more.

06/18/26 19:42

Team Canada scores fifth goal as lead continues to grow

– Paul Attfield

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With one eye towards next Wednesday’s Group B decider against Switzerland, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch has withdrawn Luc de Fougerolles, who was on a yellow card from Friday’s opener, and not yet 100 per cent following a recent injury.

In their place, Canada brings on Jacob Shaffelburg and Tani Oluwaseyi.

It didn’t take long for the substitutes to make their impact felt, with Shaffelburg, who was injured himself not too long ago, firing a shot in the 75th minute that was turned into the net by Qatar defender Mohamed Naceur Almanai.

The score is 5-0 for Canada.

06/18/26 19:36

‘The wave’ heals BC Place crowd anxious about Koné’s leg injury

– Moira Wyton

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Nathan Saliba’s goal off the bench has jump-started the crowd, breathing some life back into a BC Place rightfully anxious about Ismaël Koné.

Members of Voyageurs’ fan club in the audience started “the wave,” and I counted three full circles around the stadium before it petered out.

Now the question is whether Canada – or its fans – lets up on the Qatari side, who are four goals and two players down.

06/18/26 19:30

Canada scores four

– Paul Attfield

Minutes after Ismaël Koné left the field on a stretcher with a suspected broken leg, his replacement, Nathan Saliba, hammered home a free kick off the inside of the post to make it 4-0 for Canada in the 64th minute.

Saliba, a former teammate of Kone at CF Montreal, immediately ran to the bench to grab Koné’s No. 8 Canada jersey, holding it up in tribute to his fallen comrade.

If Canada can make this scoreline hold, it will go into the final group game against Switzerland requiring only a draw to win Group B and stay in Vancouver at least through the round of 32.

According to TSN, Canada Soccer has announced that Koné’s leg has been stabilized and he is on his way to a local hospital.

06/18/26 19:29

Vibes take a turn after Koné’s injury

– Moira Wyton

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The energy in BC Place has turned after Ismaël Koné appeared to suffer a serious injury after a foul by Qatar’s Assim Madibo.

The rising star midfielder saluted supporters as he was stretchered off the field, raising a hand to the stands and then two together in a praying motion pointed towards the sky. Head coach Jesse Marsch hugged him as medical staff escorted him down the tunnel to applause from the Canadian side.

During the several minutes medical staff worked on Kone on the field, things on the sidelines got heated. As the refs awarded Madibo a red card, staff, players and substitutes from both sides swarmed together on the sideline and appeared to exchange words.

06/18/26 19:28

Ismaël Koné carried off field on stretcher as Qatar issued another red card

– Paul Attfield

Resuming the second half with the same spirit they ended the first half, away from the scoreboard, Canada has suffered a significant setback – both for this game and the rest of the tournament – as midfielder Ismaël Koné appeared to suffer a major leg injury after a tackle.

Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo received a red card after a VAR review for the challenge, with Kone carried off the field on a stretcher. Audio was picked up of someone on the pitch saying “his leg is broken,” and the other Canadian players were irate at what transpired.

Kone was sitting up and waving at fans as he was carted into the stadium’s lower bowl, with Nathan Saliba being subbed on to take his place in the 57th minute.

It remains to see how the shock will affect the team over the final half hour.

06/18/26 19:23

Star defender Moise Bombito joins the match, but midfielder Ismaël Koné out on injury

– Neil Davidson

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Star defender Moise Bombito has replaced Derek Cornelius to start the second half for Canada. There had been talk the centre back might not have been healthy enough to play in the World Cup, having looked less than his normal self in a friendly against Uzbekistan in Edmonton earlier this month.

Bombito suffered a fractured left tibia playing for Nice in a 2-2 draw at Monaco in French Ligue 1 action last October. That injury followed a four-month absence after wrist surgery and a tibia stress fracture.

Athletic and pacey, Bombito helps make up for a lot of mistakes in front of him.

However, the good news of Bombito’s return has been tempered by what looks like a serious injury to midfielder Ismaël Koné, which prompted a halt in the game. Kone, a key part of the Canadian midfield, has been taken off on a stretcher. Sitting up while taken away on a cart, he waved to the fans.

The injury was caused by a challenge by Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo, who has been red-carded. Qatar is down to nine men.

06/18/26 19:18

Three’s not enough for the crowd at Fan Fest

– Jesse Winter

At the FIFA Fan Festival’s amphitheatre, the crowd erupted in cheers with water and drinks flying everywhere. After Canada scored a third time, the crowd started cheering “One more goal! One more goal!”

Pressed against the barricades at the front of the amphitheatre were 10-year-old Kass Albrecht and his seven-year-old sister Ada, flanked by their dad Sebastian and mom Sophie Harrhy.

At first, Ada wasn’t sure what to make of the whole scene, but she quickly got into the festival atmosphere.

All four burst into screams when Canada scored for a third time before the half.

Kass grinned widely when asked about the early score. “It’s awesome!” he said.

Sebastian, who grew up in Vancouver, said it was a special occasion for the whole family to see Canada go from having never scored a goal in a World Cup to scoring “a whole bunch of them.” He was confident the game would go their way in the end.

“It’s gonna be amazing,” he said.

06/18/26 19:12

Canada’s black jersey could appear funereal to their opponents, team joked earlier this year

– Paul Attfield

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They say if you talk the talk, you need to walk the walk.

Through 45 minutes, Cyle Larin and the Canadian men are doing exactly that.

After being dropped for the opener and then scoring off the bench last Friday, Larin said that he’s shown that when he plays, he scores. He backed that up once again Thursday, putting Canada on its way in the 16th minute.

Similarly, at the team’s jersey launch back in March, Canada’s players said they like the black, cracked ice jerseys, because they feel invincible.

“We joked it used to be for the other team’s funeral whenever you put this jersey on,” Richie Laryea said at the time. “So it’s gonna be the same thing this time around.”

Halfway to a first-ever men’s World Cup victory, everyone is looking good in one of the team’s most complete performances in the two-plus years under head coach Jesse Marsch.

06/18/26 19:10

Second half begins

– Moira Wyton

There are now only 45 minutes (plus stoppage time) standing between the Canadian men’s team and their first-ever World Cup win. And from how they looked in the first half, the home team isn’t done scoring yet.

06/18/26 19:08

The grass couldn’t be greener at BC Place

– Moira Wyton

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I’m onto my second free water bottle and it looks like the grass is thirsty, too.

FIFA spent more than $5-million dollars to grow pitch-perfect grass for all 16 World Cup stadiums, and the field for BC Place was grown by a local sod company just down the highway in the Fraser Valley.

My colleague Andrea Woo did a deep dive into the science behind the grass and – contrary to misinformation online – yes, the balls bounce on it.

06/18/26 19:04

3-0 for Canada over Qatar

– Neil Davidson

It’s 3-0 for Canada over Qatar at the half and the score could be even more lopsided, with two goal-line clearances denying the Canadians. Canada has outshot Qatar 15-2 (8-0 in shots on target) in a game that has been played deep in the Qatari half.

Goals by Cyle Larin in the 16th minute and two by Jonathan David, in the 29th and in stoppage time. Qatar, meanwhile, is down to 10 men and likely dreading the next 45 minutes.

Canada has completed 212 of 246 passes compared to 99 of 136 for Qatar.

Utter domination.

06/18/26 19:02

Could it be a hat trick for Jonathan David?

– Moira Wyton

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Jonathan David just kept going in stoppage time, and it’s looking like a blood bath for Qatar at half.

Canada fans are on hat trick watch for the striker, who scored his second goal of the match in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

If David completes the hat trick in the second half, that will be only the second of the tournament so far after Lionel Messi’s three for Argentina against Algeria on Tuesday.

06/18/26 19:00

How does the yellow card rule work in this World Cup?

– Sarah Wallace

In soccer, even if you finish the game with only one yellow card, you’re not out of the woods.

If a player receives another yellow card in a later World Cup match, they will be suspended for a subsequent match. Two yellow cards in the same game combine as a red card, with the player ejected for the remainder of the game.

But with the addition of more teams – this year’s tournament is the first to have 48 squads – the yellow card accumulation rule has changed slightly. All yellows get wiped at the after the group stage and at the beginning of the quarterfinal stage.

If Alistair Johnston, Luc de Fougerolles and Derek Cornelius – who all hold yellows – make it through the rest of the group stage unscathed and Canada advances, they’ll be rewarded with a clean slate for the round of 32.

06/18/26 18:55

And it’s three for Canada!

– Paul Attfield

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In first-half injury time, Alistair Johnston floats a cross to the far post, where Cyle Larin powers a header that Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada can only parry, allowing Jonathan David to react quickest to poke the ball into the net. The match becomes 3-0 for Canada.

Against 10 men, Canada is making its numerical advantage tell, and after Switzerland’s 4-1 demolition of Bosnia-Herzegovina earlier today, Canada will know that any win by four or more clear goals will take it to the top of Group B heading into the final round-robin game.

The game has reached halftime.

06/18/26 18:53

Red cards up this World Cup

– Neil Davidson

Homam Ahmed’s red card is the fifth issued so far at the 2026 World Cup, surpassing the total of four that were issued in 2018 and again in 2022.

The most at any tournament – since red and yellow cards were introduced for the 1970 World Cup – was in 2006, when a whopping 28 were issued, most famously to Zinedine Zidane for his head butt in the final.

06/18/26 18:47

Team Canada’s attackers are back in business

– Neil Davidson

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Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan both had off-days against Bosnia-Herzegovina. But the two Canadian attackers are causing havoc against Qatar.

David made it 2-0 with a terrific shot while Buchanan was found behind the Qatar defence by a looping Ismael Kone ball, setting up a free kick from just outside the penalty box. Qatar defender Homam Ahmed was sent off as a result for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Nothing came of the ensuing free kick but soon after Qatar needed a goal-line clearance to deny Buchanan.

Normal service has resumed with David and Buchanan. Which is good news for Canada.

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06/18/26 18:43

What does a red card mean in the World Cup?

– Moira Wyton

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The referee has awarded a red card to Qatar’s Homam Ahmed, sending the defender off the pitch and giving Canada a one-man advantage for the rest of the game.

A red card means a bit more at the World Cup than it does in a beer-league game: The player can’t play for the rest of the game, and their teammates must finish the match down a player, and they are also automatically suspended from their team’s next match.

06/18/26 18:41

Qatar issued red card

– Paul Attfield

Canada is seemingly coasting towards its first World Cup win at the men’s World Cup.

Already up 2-0 after goals from Cyle Larin and Jonathan David inside the first half an hour, Qatar has found itself down to 10 men as Homam Ahmed is sent off in the 34th minute for pulling down Tajon Buchanan as he bore down unchecked on goal. By the letter of the law, Ahmed denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity, earning his dismissal and giving Canada a free kick on the very edge of the penalty area.

However, Canada’s Ali Ahmed could only manage to put the free kick over the crossbar.

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06/18/26 18:37

A huge goal for Jonathan David’s career

– Moira Wyton

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If the cheers for Canada’s first goal were ear-splitting, these ones are deafening.

Jonathan David, Canada’s all-time top men’s international scorer, has finally scored on the world’s biggest stage. The relief on his face was palpable as his teammates ran to celebrate with him, and the crowd is going berserk.

David’s wild nine-goal performance in qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup helped send Canada to the tournament for only the second time, but he was held off the scoresheet in Qatar. So this one today is long overdue – and extra sweet.

06/18/26 18:35

Canada scores again, making World Cup history for the team

– Paul Attfield

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Less than half an hour in, and it’s a dream start for Canada, as Jonathan David finds the net for his first World Cup goal.

With Canada already on top following Cyle Larin’s 16th-minute goal, Tajon Buchanan takes a shot in the 29^th minute, which rebounds high off a Qatar defender and falls invitingly for the Juventus striker. He needs no second invitation, volleying a shot low past Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada for his 40th goal for the national team to extend his men’s record.

06/18/26 18:29

Prime Minister Mark Carney celebrates Team Canada’s goal

– Paul Attfield

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With Canada in the ascendancy, the TV cameras determine now is as good a time as any to zoom in on Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is taking in the game alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the BC Place crowd.

In truth, there is much for Carney to enjoy, as the match reaches the hydration break. Through the first quarter of the game Canada is at 69 per cent possession, and has had five chances to Qatar’s two. Canada has also passed its opponent off the field so far, with more than double Qatar’s 62 passes.

And for those looking for positive omens, Canada has never lost a competitive game when Cyle Larin has scored, winning 22 and drawing three of the 25 games in which he’s found the back of the net. He’s more than justified head coach Jesse Marsch’s decision to start him over Tani Oluwaseyi.

06/18/26 18:29

The fans came out to FIFA’s Fan Festival

– Jesse Winter

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The amphitheatre at Vancouver’s FIFA Fan Festival is absolutely packed!!

06/18/26 18:28

Set pieces could be key for Canada

– Neil Davidson

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Qatar is dropping deep into its own end on defence, setting up a wall of defenders. That’s allowing the Canadian back line to advance deep into opposition territory. And it also set the scene for Canada’s first goal, with Alistair Johnston’s cross finding Jonathan David. His shot was saved by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada but the rebound went straight to Larin.

Set pieces could be key for Canada, with Qatar forced to concede corners or foul Canadian players.

06/18/26 18:25

BC Place exploded on Canada goal

– Moira Wyton

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BC Place just exploded as Cyle Larin opened scoring for Canada for the second game in a row. I didn’t know the vibes could get any higher in here, but now it feels like the home team’s fans can smell blood in the water.

06/18/26 18:21

Canada scores

– Paul Attfield

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For the second time in two matches, Cyle Larin is the goal scoring hero for Canada. This time around, Larin netted a rebound in the 16th minute to open the scoring for Canada against Qatar.

Larin bundled it home to become the first Canadian man to score two World Cup goals. It was also the 32nd goal in his career.

06/18/26 18:16

Team Canada’s Derek Cornelius receives yellow card

– Paul Attfield

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For the first time in the game, referee Cristian Garay has reached into his pocket nine minutes in, with centre back Derek Cornelius receiving a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Akram Afif.

The resulting free kick comes to nothing, but with yellow cards now having been issued to defenders Luc de Fougerolles and Alistair Johnston last Friday, Canada’s back line needs to tread a little carefully to avoid a suspension – or a red card in the case of Cornelius today.

06/18/26 18:14

First shot on goal comes from Canada’s Jonathan David

– Paul Attfield

After an early chance for Qatar, with Edmilson Junior volleying well wide of the Canada goal just 45 seconds into the match, it’s been all Canada ever since.

Five minutes in, Canada has enjoyed 80 per cent of the possession, and has had six entries into the Qatar final third to the solitary one of the 2022 World Cup hosts.

The first real chance fell to Jonathan David in the seventh minute, registering Canada’s first shot on goal with a volley from the left side of the penalty area, but Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada got down well to deny the chance.

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06/18/26 18:10

Team Canada are wearing their away jerseys

– Neil Davidson

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Canada is wearing its away black “cracked ice” jerseys.

According to Canada Soccer, the Nike top is “inspired by frozen landscapes … A frozen maple leaf etched like a skate blade reinforces Canada’s winter‑sports heritage. Designed as a future classic, the away kit channels intensity and forward drive through a darker, more disruptive expression.”

Some might just call them ugly. But they seem popular.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch is back in jacket and tie, looking like he just walked off the set of Reservoir Dogs.

06/18/26 18:05

A look at Qatar’s starting lineup

– Neil Davidson

Ten of Qatar’s 11 starters play for domestic teams. The exception is defender Homam Ahmed, who has been loaned out to Cultural Leonesa, a second-division side in Spain, by Qatar’s Al-Duhail Sports Club.

Qatar is coached by former Spanish international goalkeeper Julen Lopetegui, who coached Spain from 2016 to 2018, but was fired two days before the 2018 World Cup after Real Madrid announced he would be its new coach the following season.

He went on to win UEFA’s Europa League title with Spain’s Sevilla in 2020 before moving to England to take charge of Wolves and West Ham in the Premier League.

As a keeper, he came up through Real Madrid’s academy and went on to play for Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano, among other teams.

06/18/26 18:00

Dueling chants at kickoff

– Moira Wyton

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Aaaand we have kickoff. The Voyageurs and the Qatari fan section are duelling with their chants from across the stadium as the teams begin the battle on the field.

06/18/26 17:59

Canada’s national anthem was not sung live

– Cathal Kelly

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Today’s national anthem comparison:

As-Salām al-Amīrī - A peppy classical number played on soundtrack. Lots of tuba. Low end, they call it in the orchestra circles I run in. Sort of went on for a long time. Even the players looked confused by the end. Helpfully subtitled in Arabic. 6/10

O Canada - No one showed up in Canada to sing the Canadian anthem. Played on soundtrack. What? Ryan Reynolds is busy all of a sudden? I like it when you have the crowd do the heavy lifting – which they did – but someone has to be out there holding the mic over their head. Someone famous must be vacationing out here. Get Carly Rae Jepsen on a plane. Something. 4/10

06/18/26 17:58

Thunderous cheers for Team Canada inside BC Place

– Moira Wyton

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The thunderous cheers for Team Canada just hit 149 decibels in BC Place – about the same as being right next to a jet engine taking off – according to the stadium’s sound gauge. That’s loud enough to cause severe, immediate damage to your hearing, my iPhone’s health tracker tells me, but I couldn’t exactly hear the alert.

If that wasn’t enough to shake a tectonic plate like Erling Haaland’s goals did in Norway earlier this week, I’ll be surprised.

06/18/26 17:48

Whether Davies hits the field remains a big maybe

– David Ebner

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This week I wrote about the mystery of Canada’s most contemplated hamstring: that of Alphonso Davies. He’s available to play today, Canada coach Jesse Marsch said late Wednesday, perhaps as a substitute.

Mark that as a maybe. We’ll see. What’s certain is he’s not starting today. Less than zero surprise there.

Here’s the detailed context.

Last year, Davies blew his ACL playing for Canada. The reaction of his employer, Bayern Munich, was, I’d say, privately apoplectic. They’re paying him a ton of money and he missed many months. When he was back, he hurt his right hamstring twice this year and then, during a Champions League semifinal in early May, his left hamstring.

That was six weeks ago. Davies didn’t join Canada when the whole team first got together for the World Cup and then after joining the team from Germany he has been with the group but training on his own. That’s overseen by Matthias Blankenburg, a Bayern-approved sports scientist based in Munich who “works at the highest level.”

The rumours around Davies, predictably, range. One suggests Bayern doesn’t want Davies to play at all at this World Cup. One fact is Bayern recently acquired Nathaniel Brown, who is currently starting for Germany at the World Cup and who could replace Davies as a starter at the club later this year. Chatter also includes talk that Davies will be sold to another top club soon. Davies hurting himself here would more than mildly displease Bayern.

Davies made his professional debut a decade ago for the Vancouver Whitecaps as a 15-year-old wunderkind. He must desperately want to play at this World Cup, where he, at 25, is the youngest team captain of 48 countries. He could, with a big performance, carry Canada into the knockout round and cement a lasting legend.

He must also be terrified of hurting himself yet again. His Canada teammate Alistair Johnston last year dealt with a wonky hamstring and then last fall when he injured it again: surgery.

Marsch yesterday said the team has worked closely with Blankenburg. “Alphonso is looking really good,” the coach said. Davies playing today will depend on what’s happening in the match against Qatar, the coach said.

Let’s say, if Canada desperately needs him late in the game, it’s a maybe. Also, if Canada is comfortably up late in the game, maybe he comes on for a jog. Or, perhaps most probably, he doesn’t play – and instead, hopefully, plays next week in the key final group stage game against Switzerland. Or maybe he doesn’t play at all.

Canada can – and should – win today without him. But he would, soon enough, be a huge boost to the team’s prospects.

06/18/26 17:45

Media section at BC Place is packed to the gills

– Moira Wyton

This is my view for the match, where it’s tight quarters for photographers and their telescopic lenses. We’re at the foot of the media tribune, which is packed to the gills compared to last Saturday’s game. I’m going to miss having a row to myself!

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06/18/26 17:43

Canada beat Qatar by two points when the teams faced off in 2022

– Neil Davidson

Canada and Qatar have only met once before, in a September 2022 friendly in Vienna prior to the 2022 World Cup. Canada won 2-0 on goals by Cyle Larin in the fourth minute and Jonathan David in the 13th minute.

Larin and David start again up front for Canada.

Canada and Qatar are both looking for their first win at the World Cup, having secured their first-ever point in draws against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Switzerland, respectively, last time out.

Canada’s record at the tournament is 0-6-1 while Qatar is 0-3-1.

06/18/26 17:41

From Qatar to Vancouver: These Calgary World Cup fans always bring their cowboy hats

– Moira Wyton

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Fans have pulled from all corners of Canadiana to rep their team today – hockey jerseys, maple leaf tattoos and, yes, cowboy hats.

Mitchell Randall and Craig MacTavish wore their cowboy hats to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and knew they had to bring them from Calgary again this time around.

MacTavish said he loves the different energies in Vancouver and Toronto, where he attended Canada’s opening match last week.

How are the two Canadian host-cities different? “That’s a dangerous question,” he laughed. “No comment.”

06/18/26 17:30

BC Place is heating up (literally)

– Andrea Woo

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Hello! I’m Andrea Woo and I’m a national reporter based in Vancouver. I’m currently in the heat and crowds of BC Place stadium, regretting my decision to wear long pants. My feelings about slow walkers are tempered only by the swell of overwhelmingly good vibes here today.

Here’s my view from the media section. Guess where the Qataris are sitting?

06/18/26 17:28

Davies and Bombito available, but not in starting lineup

– Neil Davidson

Still no Alphonso Davies or Moïse Bombito in Canada’s starting lineup. Davies, the team captain, and Bombito, its best defender, are among the substitutes for today’s game. Both have been out with injuries. Whether they see action against Qatar will perhaps signal their readiness for the Group B finale against Switzerland on June 24.

Canada head coach Jesse Marsch says both players are available.

“Let’s see how the game goes,” he said.

Of course, a win over Qatar is necessary to set up the Swiss showdown. Should Canada down Qatar and join Switzerland on four points, it can finish no lower than third in the group since Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar, each on one point, play each other in their final game.

06/18/26 17:17

Team Canada takes the field for warm up

– Moira Wyton

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With less than an hour to go until kickoff, Team Canada has taken to the pitch to warm up.

The players streamed out of the tunnel to raucous cheers from the Canadian fans. It was so loud I’m already wishing I remembered my earplugs, and the stadium isn’t even half-full yet.

Alphonso Davies ran out with the team and looked in good form, but he’s currently warming up separately from the rest of his teammates and passing a ball with a staff member. The captain is available to play today, head coach Jesse Marsch said, but he’s not in the starting 11.

06/18/26 17:10

Cyle Larin and Ali Ahmed added to Canada’s starting lineup

– Paul Attfield

After watching his team escape its World Cup opener with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto, Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch has restored the scorer of that crucial goal, Cyle Larin, to the starting lineup for Thursday’s match against Qatar. It’s one of two changes to Team Canada’s starting lineup.

After comfortably outplaying Bosnia for most of the match, Marsch will be hoping Larin and Jonathan David – with a combined 70 international goals on their resumes – can find the net as Canada chases its first World Cup win. To help on the creative side, Marsch has also promoted Ali Ahmed – a second-half substitute last week – to the starting lineup in place of Liam Milllar.

Ahmed, who knows BC Place well from his three years as a member of the Vancouver Whitecaps before moving to England’s Norwich City last January, played well, doing more in his 30-minute cameo than many players did over the full 90 minutes.

06/18/26 17:03

Beers are pricey at BC Place

– Moira Wyton

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BC Place is filling up with fans, and security at the media gate and to get into my spot in the press tribune was noticeably tighter than at Saturday’s Australia vs. Turkey match.

But to my surprise, there hasn’t been a home-team tax added to FIFA’s exorbitant beer prices. It’s still up to $26 for a single draft premium beer, which many fans are understandably availing themselves of on this hot, sunny day. I’ll stick to the free water bottles they’re giving media at our seats.

06/18/26 17:02

Watching today’s game at home from Toronto

– Paul Attfield

Hi everyone, and welcome to the second week of the 2026 World Cup! I’m Paul Attfield, a sports reporter in Toronto, and I, like many of you across the country, will be watching the match on TV at home today – and hoping Jesse Marsch’s men brought their shooting boots this time around.

06/18/26 17:01

Canada’s starting 11 in the match against Qatar

– Neil Davidson

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The Canadian starting 11 go into the match against Qatar with a combined 580 appearances for the country, up from 520 for the starters in last week’s game against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Forward Cyle Larin leads with 91 caps. Defender Luc de Fougerolles has the fewest at 14.

Today’s starters have scored a combined 90 goals for Canada. Jonathan David leads with 39 while Larin has 31 goals.

06/18/26 16:53

Team Canada has arrived at BC Place

– Moira Wyton

Team Canada is in the house, and the players were all business when they stepped off the bus. Starting keeper Maxime Crépeau was the first, while Alphonso Davies brought up the rear, as he headed into the stadium where he first started his career.

The “Roadrunner” and many of the 26-man roster had their headphones on as they made their way down the tunnel. I wonder what’s on their pre-game playlists...

06/18/26 16:52

The sun is shining at Vancouver’s FIFA Fan Festival

– Marsha Lederman

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Hi. I’m Marsha Lederman at the FIFA Fan Festival in Vancouver, where local fans who couldn’t snag/afford tickets to the actual game are amassing to cheer on Team Canada. (Someone I know paid, gulp, $1,200 for a single ticket to the game today.)

Well beyond the stadium, the city is buzzing today – probably nowhere more than here at the PNE grounds, which are about six kilometres east of BC Place. It’s very pleasant here in the sunshine: lots of red t-shirts and Canadian flags.

Streets around here are manageable (so far). A recommended way to get here, if you can, is by bike: There are two free bike valets available.

Make sure you bring sunscreen – and take hydration breaks!

06/18/26 16:48

Canada head coach says the pressure of World Cup got to the team ahead of last Friday’s game

– David Ebner

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Hello everyone – I’m a national correspondent at The Globe, stationed in Vancouver since 2008 and at the paper since 2000. In the mid-2010s I was a sportswriter, reporting on a wide range of sports, including the women’s World Cup in 2015. Outside of this World Cup, I report on the Supreme Court of Canada.

Late Wednesday, at BC Place, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch spoke to reporters for the first time this week after, I’d say, ducking attention during training. That had to be a strategy to keep the atmospheric fervour contained ahead of today’s big match, with all the questions about the team’s desperate need to score goals and the uncertain health of star Alphonso Davies.

Marsch conceded the pressure got to the team ahead of the Bosnia-Herzegovina game last Friday in Toronto. It showed, for a while, on the field. Canada didn’t play that well in the first half and salvaged a 1-1 draw in the second half against a lesser, but scrappy, opponent that they could have (should have) beaten.

It was “really difficult” to prepare for everything that “the madness” of the World Cup involves, the coach told reporters.

“For us, the first week was a little crazy, I’ll be honest,” Marsch said. “There was a lot of fanfare, and it was a little hectic and chaotic around the team in Toronto.”

The Canadian team got to Vancouver last weekend and trained Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the University of British Columbia. Marsch said the team has calmed and settled into a rhythm. They’re more focused.

Let’s see how they open the game this afternoon.

06/18/26 16:40

Voyageurs fan club gives morning boost to Irish pub

– Mike Hager

Shalv Mehta, general manager at the Vancouver Fionn MacCool’s franchise, said he was heartened to see 150 people waiting outside the door this morning when the restaurant opened for Team Canada’s Voyageurs’ fan club Thursday morning.

He said he is hoping this momentum continues for the Irish pub, which has been struggling due to being located in an unassuming pocket of Vancouver, far away from the Granville Street strip of bars that has been drawing thousands to watch each World Cup match.

As the head of security for the Vancouver matches chatted with nearby Vancouver police officers, people continued to stream into the lineup to enter his bar.

“We’ve been popular with the locals, but that’s about it,” said Mr. Mehta, who arrived at 6 a.m. this morning and expects to leave at midnight.

06/18/26 16:31

Vancouver has apparently created a whole new type of coffee cup

– Cathal Kelly

One hour and a half before kickoff at BC Place, enjoying a hot cup of joe in this bizarre receptacle. What is going on in Vancouver? Do they think they can make up their own rules or something?

Cups with lips and lids are not a technology that needed improving. This is not a cup. It’s a change purse designed to cover you in boiling liquid.

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06/18/26 16:28

Voyageurs’ march to BC Place is underway

– Jesse Winter

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The march is underway! Thousands of Team Canada supporters led by the Voyageurs’ fan club have filled Quebec Street and are marching towards the stadium. Smoke flares, drumming and lots of O Canada!

There are lots of police around and volunteers trying to keep things moving safely.

06/18/26 16:27

Team Canada is about to arrive at BC Place

– Moira Wyton

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I’m at the player entrance, where Team Canada is about to arrive. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Alphonso Davies, who started his professional career here as a teen with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2016.

06/18/26 16:25

Top goalscorers in the tournament so far

– Sarah Wallace

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The first round of group-stage games might have only concluded yesterday, but the race for the Golden Boot – the top goal scorer of the tournament – is on.

Right now, Lionel Messi is in the lead after scoring a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria. The Argentinian is also tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most goals in World Cup history, with 16.

Here are the standings in the Golden Boot race, so far:

• 1. Argentina’s Lionel Messi (Three goals, no assists, 84 minutes played)
• T2. U.S.’s Folarin Balogun (Two goals, no assists, 77 minutes played)
• T2. Germany’s Kai Havertz (Two goals, no assists, 100 minutes played)
• T2. Sweden’s Yasin Ayari (Two goals, no assists, 100 minutes played)
• T2. England’s Harry Kane (Two goals, no assists, 101 minutes played)
• T2. New Zealand’s Elijah Just (Two goals, no assists, 101 minutes played)
• T2. Norway’s Erling Haaland (Two goals, no assists, 103 minutes played)
• T2. France’s Kylian Mbappé (Two goals, no assists, 106 minutes played)

If the Golden Boot award is tied on goals, the number of assists the player had in the tournament will determine the winner. If it is still tied after the assists, the person who had the least minutes played will be victorious.

06/18/26 16:21

Edmonton fan springs for bespoke maple leaf face paint

– Mike Hager

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Steve Cavers and his girlfriend Amy were among the 300 or so members of Team Canada’s Voyageurs fan club to show up for the 10 a.m. pre-match party at a Fionn MacCool’s. Like the others, they wore red and white jerseys, but Cavers went the extra step of sourcing a local artist to paint a life-size maple leaf on his face.

The Edmonton couple said they could spring for the elaborate face paint because they saved money on accommodations by staying with family after “winning the lottery” to get $1,000 tickets to the game through FIFA’s draw.

Cavers would only say he “likes a couple of them” when asked which of the fan club’s chants is his favourite. His girlfriend clarified why he was reluctant to share: “There’s some profanity in them.”

06/18/26 16:18

World Cup fans from Texas get ready to support Team Canada

– Moira Wyton

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There is still over two hours until kickoff, and Randy Smith and his friends are already on their second beer tower.

The boisterous crew of Texans have been friends for at least 15 years – some more than 40 – and are attending games in all three of the tournament’s host countries. They were camped out at the Boston Pizza at the foot of BC Place watching Switzerland vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina.

This is Smith’s 10th World Cup, and he said it was no question that he would support Canada at the match today.

The Sweden vs. Tunisia game in Monterrey set the bar high for him, but “the atmosphere has been great here so far,” Smith said.

And how many beer towers will they finish before they head into the stadium?

“Seven,” he laughed. “Tower per hour!”

06/18/26 16:14

Team Canada fans crowd bars early for today’s game

– Mike Hager

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Hi, I’m Mike Hager, a reporter in The Globe’s B.C. Bureau. I started my day with a run along Vancouver’s iconic seawall and witnessed hundreds of Team Canada fans crowding into bars as early as 9:30 a.m. PT to prepare for today’s big game. I’m going to watch the team’s fan club march from near Olympic Village to the stadium.

06/18/26 16:10

No tickets available on reseller sites, but FIFA’s marketplace has some for sale

– Sarah Wallace

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Like when Canada played Bosnia-Herzegovina last Friday, there are no tickets available for resale in the hours leading up to Canada’s game against Qatar. A StubHub spokesperson told me last week that it was FIFA, not the resellers, who cut off ticket transfers hours before matches.

Today, SeatGeek put a notice on its website indicating that listings would be removed three hours prior to kickoff. Ticket pages on both Ticketmaster and StubHub have disappeared as of 12:30 p.m. PT.

You still can buy some tickets on FIFA’s resale marketplace, with prices starting at around $1,100 as of 12:45 p.m. PT.

06/18/26 16:02

Spending thousands to attend Vancouver World Cup games

– Jesse Winter

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At a pub in Vancouver’s Olympic Village, I met Colin Rowsell and Josie Ferrara from Fort McMurray, Alta.

They spent about $5,000 each to attend four games in Vancouver. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to host, Ferrara said. “We wanted to be here to support the athletes.”

Hundreds of fans are gathering on Quebec Street preparing to march to the stadium. Things are about to kick off!

06/18/26 15:57

Today is a ‘pinch me’ moment

– Moira Wyton

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Hi, I’m Moira Wyton, a journalist based in our Vancouver bureau. My day job is being an editor on The Globe’s audience growth team, but today I’ve slipped out from behind my desk to cover the game from BC Place. This is my first time reporting on a World Cup, and it’s a bit of a “pinch me” moment after playing soccer for 26 years, and watching the men’s and women’s tournaments for almost as long.

The last time I saw Canada’s men’s team play in person was their shocking “Iceteca” win over Mexico in November, 2021, which helped send them to the 2022 World Cup. Fans braved freezing, snowy conditions in my hometown of Edmonton to cheer on the team, and I’m sure more than a few parkas were ruined by spilled beer when the final whistle on the 2-1 victory blew.

It’s about 30 degrees hotter in Vancouver today, so I’m curious to see how hard fans go for the home team when they can actually feel their toes.

06/18/26 15:45

History made in Czechia vs. South Africa match

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– Sarah Wallace

In other World Cup news: History was made today when Americans Tori Penso, Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt became the first all-American, all-women refereeing trio to officiate in the men’s tournament. They officiated Czechia’s 1-1 tie with South Africa.

The head referee, Penso, is the second woman ever to call a men’s World Cup match. The first was France’s Stéphanie Frappart, who officiated a Germany vs. Costa Rica game in the 2022 World Cup – also with two other female referees on the field. Penso had previously called the FIFA women’s World Cup final in 2023, where Spain came out victorious over England.

06/18/26 15:35

Getting ready to join the Voyageurs’ march to BC Place

– Jesse Winter

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Hey! I’m Jesse – a writer and photojournalist in the Vancouver bureau. I’m doing double-duty today.

I will be following Canada’s supporters’ club, the Voyageurs, march to the stadium and then swinging by the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE to watch the game from there.

If it’s anything like the Aussies vs Turkey match on Saturday, it’ll be a wild few hours.

Here’s a look at the kit I’ll be using (and yes, the trail running shoes are crucial – you never know when you might have to crush some techy singletrack!).

Stay tuned here for words and photos of the action!

06/18/26 15:30

Team Canada fans prepare to take over Vancouver

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Vancouver is counting down to its first home-team match of the 2026 World Cup, as fans prepare to give Team Canada a boost against Qatar at BC Place Stadium and at watch parties around the country.

There was a long queue at the official FIFA Fan Festival in East Vancouver, where total tournament attendance is set to surge past the 100,000 mark today.

Organizers say more than 98,000 fans have attended so far, with highest attendance of 31,481 on Saturday.

A staging area for police at the southern foot of Cambie Bridge is a hive of activity, while on and off ramps for the bridge that is the closest downtown crossing to the stadium are already shut.

Canadian supporters group The Voyageurs will be staging a march along the so-called “last mile” to the stadium, starting near Science World where its dome has been transformed into a massive replica of a World Cup soccer ball.

The group says supporters are assembling at 12:30 p.m. local time and setting off 30 minutes later, and will be marching with “flags high, voices louder, building the energy all the way” ahead of the 3 p.m. kickoff.

Canada fans are being encouraged to wear red to the match.

- The Canadian Press

06/18/26 15:30

Carney attending Team Canada’s game in Vancouver

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Prime Minister Mark Carney is shifting gears today as he goes from one of the world’s largest political events to the world’s biggest sporting event.

Carney is just back from the G7 Summit in France meeting with top world leaders, and is in Vancouver today where he’ll attend the World Cup match between Canada and Qatar.

Before that, the prime minister will make a homebuilding announcement in the city.

Carney is also due to meet with B.C. Premier David Eby.

- The Canadian Press

06/18/26 15:30

How to watch the games in Canada

- Moira Wyton

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You can watch all 104 matches on television on TSN, or subscribe to stream them on TSN.ca or the TSN+ app. Check your cable package to see if you have TSN included, and find the full broadcast schedule here.

Thirty matches, including all three Canada group-stage games, will be available to watch on CTV or to stream through the CTV channel via the Crave app.

And The Globe and Mail will have live coverage of all Team Canada matches, as well as news and analysis throughout the tournament, which you can find here.

06/18/26 15:30

Alphonso Davies available to face Qatar as Canada chases elusive World Cup win

- David Ebner

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At the last World Cup, only two countries out of 32 contenders lost all three of their matches. The depressing result immediately jettisoned them from the tournament. One was the host, Qatar, in its debut on the global soccer stage. The other was Canada.

On Thursday afternoon in Vancouver, redemption and possibly much more is within grasp.

Canada faces Qatar in both countries’ second of three Group B matches at this World Cup. In front of more than 50,000 fans in red and white at BC Place, it will be there for the taking.

Eradicate all the bad memories, decades in the soccer wilderness, the faceplant in Qatar four years ago. Draw from more recent signs of percolating success and deliver this country’s first-ever win at the World Cup.

A victory – and, ideally, a fusillade of goals against lowly ranked (49th) yet resilient Qatar – would likely propel Canada (32nd) into a new soccer frontier, the World Cup knockout rounds. And winning Thursday would mean Canada topping Group B is suddenly realistic. Such an outcome would secure a round of 32 match in Vancouver in early July.

The big news late Wednesday was star Alphonso Davies’s recovery from a hamstring injury.

At a press conference at BC Place, coach Jesse Marsch said Davies is available to play against Qatar, seemingly as a possible substitute.

Read more about Canada’s chase for an elusive World Cup win.