Canada thoroughly dismantled Qatar 6-0 on Thursday night, securing their first World Cup win in front of a passionate crowd at BC Place.
After a 1–1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their 2026 World Cup opener, the Reds went into their game in Vancouver eager to make a statement – and they did just that. Cyle Larin picked up where he left off last game, getting on the scoresheet in the 16th minute to send the hosts into pandemonium.
Jonathan David then doubled Canada’s lead just before half-time with a sensational right-footed volley, burying his first World Cup goal in style. The forward scored just before half-time, taking advantage of poor Qatar defense after Homam El-Amin was given his marching orders in the 33rd minute.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Assim Madibo was sent off for a late challenge on Ismaël Koné, who was stretchered off with a serious leg injury. Nathan Saliba honored his teammate with a free kick to make it 4–0 in the 64th minute, before Mohamed Al-Mannai put one in the back of the net to extend Canada’s lead.
Before the final whistle, David completed his hat trick to seal a historic victory for Canada that saw them top Group B ahead of Switzerland on goal difference. The two teams are set to clash on Wednesday, June 24 to see which nation will ultimately claim the top spot.
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One thing we cannot ignore
Cyle Larin already has two goals this summer. Fran Santiago/Getty Images
Just six days ago, Larin was overlooked in Jesse Marsch’s benched XI, while Tani Oluwaseyi got the nod alongside Jonathan David in Canada’s World Cup opener. The feeling was nothing new for the 31-year-old, who has routinely been doubted throughout his career.
However, a heroic goal off the bench against Bosnia and Herzegovina was enough for Marsch to start Larin this time around, and the striker repaid his manager’s faith just 16 minutes into Thursday’s game. At the right place, at the right time, Larin pounced on goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada’s spilled save to give his country an early lead.
The Southampton man became the first player ever to score twice in a World Cup for Canada – a record soon equaled and surpassed by David – and showed he still has the legs and stamina to start on the biggest of stages.
It was a performance that likely secured Larin’s place in the XI, showing just how dominant he and David can be when playing to their potential. After all, their work up top on Thursday resulted in four goals for Canada, who hadn’t scored more than two in a single game in nine months.
Canadian vs. Player Ratings Qatar (4-2-2)
Jonathan David (right) opened his account at the World Cup. Jared C. Tilton/FIFA/Getty Images
*Reviews provided by FotMob*
GK: Maxime Crépeau—6.9: Possibly the easiest performance of his career. He didn’t have to make a single save and Qatar were rarely able to escape even from their own half.
RB: Alistair Johnston—8.3: Beats two defenders down the right flank in preparation for Larin’s opener. He linked up expertly with Buchanan to turn the right flank into a playground for Canada.
CB: Luc De Fougerolles—7.3: Had little to do defensively. Instead, he showed his game, creating two chances in what was a comfortable outing.
CB: Derek Cornelius—6.5: Struggled for pace early in transition and got a yellow card for it. He recovered well, though, and played the rest of the half smartly before being withdrawn at half-time.
LB: Richie Laryea—8.0: Covered wide ground. He easily won the battle against Edmilson Junior and Ayoub Al-Oui. He instantly came to Koné’s defense as a true leader.
RM: Tajon Buchanan—7.8: Showed off his silky moves all night. He caused all sorts of problems for El-Amin, who had no chance of canceling out the lightning midfielder, so he was eventually sent packing.
CM: Ismaël Koné—7.4: Put together a solid outing until he was stretchered off with a serious leg injury after a late challenge from Madibo.
CM: Stephen Eustáquio—7.8: Didn’t lack the star moments that many of his teammates had, but still got the job done effectively. He helped control the tempo of the game and was orderly in possession.
LM: Ali Ahmed—7.1: Missed the end product when getting into dangerous positions. Disappointed with many of his set piece deliveries which is usually his forte.
ST: Jonathan David — 9.6: Fired the flick to Abunada which Larin eventually buried. He got on the scoresheet himself 13 minutes later with a stunning volley. He added to his tally just before the break, scoring his first World Cup goals.
ST: Cyle Larin—7.6: Put them on the cape one more time. He scored his second goal of the tournament which sealed all three points for Canada. It forced a desperate save from Abunada into first-half stoppage time, which David finished off.
SUB: Moïse Bombito (46′ for Cornelius)—6.3: A perfect game to come back. He didn’t have to strain and did well to continue building his match fitness.
SUB: Nathan Saliba (56′ for Koné)—8.4: Bends a free kick around the Qatar wall and into the back of the net to lift morale at BC Place after Koné’s injury. Set up David’s hat trick.
SUB: Jacob Shaffelburg (71′ for De Fougerolles)—6.5: Saw his dangerous volley hit by Qatar substitute Mohamed Al-Mannai.
SUB: Tani Oluwaseyi (71′ for Ahmed)—5.7: Found little success. He created zero chances and managed just one shot, which was blocked.
SUB: Niko Sigur (84′ for Buchanan)—N/A
Unused Subs: Dayne St. Clair (GK), Owen Goodman (GK), Alphonso Davies, Joel Waterman, Jonathan Osorio, Mathieu Choinière, Jayden Nelson, Liam Millar, Promise David.
What the ratings tell us
Tajon Buchanan (left) and Jonathan David performed. Jared C. Tilton/FIFA/Getty Images
Jonathan David went into Thursday’s clash under pressure to play after a topsy-turvy outing against Bosnia and Herzegovina – and he answered the call. The forward, who hasn’t scored a goal without a penalty for Canada since September 2025, came alive in open play and scored a hat trick to silence any doubters. Marsch will need his striker to ride that momentum into the team’s upcoming clash with Switzerland. Tajon Buchanan is another player who responded to recent criticism with a sensational outing. The Villarreal man was electrifying down the right flank, carving up Qatar’s defense with ease. He was at the center of all that was good in Canada and lifted Marsch’s team from hopeful host nation to a team capable of winning Group B. So much was made of Alphonso Davies’ potential return against Qatar, but Canada didn’t even need their best player to make an appearance. The Bayern Munich star can now take some extra time to rest and recover, avoiding any rush back into action, which is better for Marsch’s side in the long run.
The numbers that explain Canada’s dominant victory
It’s no surprise that Canada’s attacking stats were off the charts playing against nine men. The hosts finished the match with a staggering 32 shots that resulted in six goals, exceeding 4.45 xG. Marsch’s men also had 19 corners but found little success from their free-kicks apart from Saliba’s free-kick. The home team completely controlled the game.
Statistics
Canada
Qatar
Holding
79%
21%
xG
4.45
0.18
Hit total
32
2
Shots on target
10
0
Big Chances
6
0
Passing accuracy
91%
63%
Fouls
9
10
Corners
19
1
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