Canada finally got its first World Cup victory on Thursday night. And within seconds of the final whistle, it almost turned into a brawl.
The 6-0 scoreline against Qatar at BC Place in Toronto suggests total domination. And it was. But the match ended with both teams shoving and pushing each other, players jawing, and at least one scuffle that looked like it could escalate into something worse. Video from the broadcast showed tempers boiling over after what had been a chippy 90 minutes.
Canada’s frustration with Qatar’s physical play had been building all night. Midfielder Ismael Kone had to be carted off the field after a challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo. That moment seemed to stick with the Canadian sideline, and by the time the game ended, nobody was in the mood to exchange pleasantries.
Jonathan David stole the show
But the real story — the one Canada will want to remember — is Jonathan David putting on an absolute clinic. The Juventus forward scored three goals in front of more than 52,000 fans, tying Lionel Messi for the tournament lead in the Golden Boot race. That’s not a sentence anyone had on their bingo card heading into this World Cup.
Cyle Larin got things started in the 16th minute with a goal, his second of the tournament. Then David took over. He finished his hat trick before halftime, and Nathan Saliba added a fifth goal in the 65th minute. Qatar’s Mohamed Manai accidentally scored for Canada in the 75th minute, putting the exclamation point on a brutal night for the visitors.
What this means for Group B
Canada now sits at 1-1 with a plus-6 goal differential, which leads Group B. They opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina, so this win was massive for their knockout-stage hopes. A win or even a draw against Switzerland on June 24 at BC Place could punch their ticket to the round of 16.
The post-match scuffles might draw some fines or disciplinary action from FIFA. But for a Canadian program that had never won a World Cup match before Thursday, the night ultimately belongs to David and a team that finally looked like it belonged on the big stage.
Leave a Comment