Canada Thrash Nine-Man Qatar 6-0 for First-ever World Cup Win as Koné Suffers Horror Injury
Canada recorded the first World Cup victory in their history with a dominant 6-0 win over nine-man Qatar in Group B, but celebrations were overshadowed by a serious injury to midfielder Ismael Koné.
Jonathan David led the way with a hat-trick, while Cyle Larin and Nathan Saliba also found the net. Qatar defender Mohamed Al Mannai added an own goal as the hosts overwhelmed their opponents in front of more than 52,000 fans in Vancouver.
The match took a grim turn in the second half when Koné suffered a severe leg injury following a tackle from Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo. After a VAR review, Madibo’s yellow card was upgraded to a red, leaving Qatar with nine men after Homam Ahmed had already been sent off in the first half.
Koné was stretchered off and taken to hospital, where he was expected to undergo surgery. The injury visibly affected Canadian players, with Saliba dedicating his goal to the midfielder and David later admitting the squad struggled to celebrate fully despite the historic result.
The victory moved Canada to the top of Group B on goal difference ahead of Switzerland, significantly boosting the co-hosts’ chances of reaching the knockout stage.
