Canada 6-0 Qatar
Switzerland’s hold on Group B’s top seed didn’t last too long, as Canada seized it from their grasp via a 6-0 shellacking of Qatar at BC Place, Vancouver, on Thursday evening.
After an anonymous performance against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opener, Jonathan David came back to life. The Juventus forward became the second player in the World Cup 2026 to score a hat-trick after Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Cyle Larin and Nathan Saliba also scored, and Mohammed Manai scored a late own goal to add salt to the Maroons’ wound.
With the win, head coach Jesse Marsch ticked off another box in his checklist, as this was Canada’s first-ever World Cup victory. By doing so, they usurped Switzerland via a superior goal difference and are one step closer to reaching the knockouts – another item to tick on Marsch’s list.
Meanwhile, the loss dropped Qatar to the bottom of Group B, and it might be only a matter of time before they bid goodbye, per the SBOTOP World Cup 2026 odds.
Highlights of the game
Jonathan David controlled the match for Canada from the get-go. The Juventus striker tested goalie Mahmoud Abunada with a volley early on before playing a part in the team’s 16th-minute opener.
He sent another volley straight at Abunada, but this time, the Qatari goalkeeper spilled it into a dangerous area, and Cyle Larin scored his second goal of the finals off a rebound. The Maple Leafs doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark, as David picked up Tajon Buchanan’s long-range shot to pick out the bottom-right corner.
Qatar earned their first red card a few moments later, as Homam Ahmed brought down Buchanan to deny a goalscoring opportunity. Akram Afif made a goal-line clearance to keep out Buchanan’s effort, but Canada got their third before halftime, with David tapping in Larin’s blocked header.
Canada suffered a massive blow early in the second half when Ismael Kone sustained a broken leg after Assim Madibo’s reckless challenge, resulting in a red card. Kone’s replacement, Nathan Saliba, then fired a stunning free-kick around the Qatar wall to score in the 64th minute.
Canada’s almost-perfect day was capped off when Jacob Shaffelburg’s off-balance effort was flicked into the net by Mohammed Manai in the 75th minute, and David struck again in stoppage time.
Key statistics
Canada enjoy playing in Vancouver, so it wasn’t surprising they got their maiden World Cup win there. The Maple Leafs have now won their last five matches played in the city, scoring 23 goals and conceding only two. This was Canada’s eighth World Cup match, and they finally broke their duck in style. After never scoring more than once in the competition, the Maple Leafs became the first CONCACAF side to score at least six goals in a single outing.
Cyle Larin became the first CONCACAF player to score in consecutive World Cup matches since Clint Dempsey in 2014 for the United States against Ghana and Portugal. His strike partner, Jonathan David, became just the second CONCACAF player to net a World Cup hat-trick after Bert Patenaude in 1930.
Canada made 97 touches in the attacking box against Qatar, which is 26 more than any other side in a World Cup match on record (since 1966 – Germany 71 vs. Costa Rica in 2022). They logged a whopping 4.46 expected goals (xG), as Canada finished with 33 attempts (10 on target). Their eight shots on target in the first half were the most of a World Cup match since Romania in 1994 against Argentina (also eight).
Qatar’s two red cards mean there have already been more sent-offs at this World Cup (six) than across the whole of the last edition, which they hosted.
What’s next?
After the first few sets of World Cup 2026 results, Canada and Switzerland are expected to progress to the knockouts, while the third seed remains up for grabs between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar, with the former having the slight edge due to a superior goal difference.
Switzerland and Canada will battle for the top spot at BC Place, Vancouver, on June 24, with the winner facing the third seed from Group E, F, G, I, or J, and the loser facing the runner-up in Group A (likely the loser between Mexico and South Korea) in the Round of 32.
A few hours later, Bosnia and Herzegovina will take on Qatar at Lumen Field in Seattle, and the winner could face the top seed from Group D or E (probably the United States or Germany) in the Round of 32.
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