Two sendings off for Qatar
©IMAGO
Host Canada scored their first victory at a World Cup with a goal feast and didn’t let a serious injury to Ismaël Koné slow them down. Coach Jesse Marsch’s team clearly defeated outsiders Qatar 6-0 (3-0) in Vancouver and needs a draw in the last preliminary round game against Switzerland in order to finish Group B in first place.
The game was overshadowed by the injury to midfielder Koné, who was rolled off the pitch on a stretcher after a foul. According to photos, the left lower leg appeared to be broken. Qatar’s Assim Madibo (51st) was shown a red card.
The two strikers Cyle Larin (16th minute) and Jonathan David (29th/45th + 3) had the 52,497 spectators – including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino – cheering before halftime.
The one-sided game was decided at the latest with the first red card for Qatar, which Homam Al-Amin (33′) saw because of an emergency brake. After the break, Nathan-Dylan Saliba (64th) increased the score to 4-0. Saliba had only come on as a substitute for the seriously injured Koné a few minutes earlier and after his goal he showed emotion the injured teammate’s jersey. Then Mohamed Manai (75th) scored into his own goal before David (90th + 2) made the final score with his third goal.
It was Canada’s first World Cup victory in the eighth game. Before the home World Cup there were three defeats in 1986 and 2022. After the 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto, the first success followed against the 2022 World Cup hosts – and how.
Canada’s superiority was so clear that Marsch didn’t even have to bring Bayern professional Alphonso Davies into the game. The German champions’ dynamic full-back has been out for over a month following a muscle injury, but is now fit again.
Football fever should finally break out in the ice hockey nation of Canada. Tens of thousands of fans came to the arena on Thursday wearing red jerseys, where former German world champion Thomas Müller plays with his Vancouver Whitecaps in everyday league life. Head of State Carney, wearing a black jersey, watched alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino as Canada outclassed its opponents.
Qatar surprised at the start with a 1-1 draw against Switzerland. After the clear defeat against the co-host of the World Cup, there is now a risk of an early exit. In the final preliminary round game against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Seattle, Julen Lopetegui’s team will need a win to advance.