Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg celebrates their fifth objective, an personal objective scored by Qatar’s Mohamed Manai throughout the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group B match, BC Place, Vancouver, Canada, June 18, 2026. — Reuters
LOS ANGELES: Canada thrashed nine-man Qatar 6-0 to safe their first ever World Cup victory on Thursday as Switzerland reignited their marketing campaign with a powerful defeat of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Event co-hosts Canada had misplaced all six of their earlier matches on the World Cup, on the 1986 and 2022 finals, however introduced that run of losses to a halt in spectacular trend at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium.
With Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney — carrying a duplicate Canada shirt — amongst a fired-up crowd, Jesse Marsch’s facet ran riot to safe a win that leaves them needing solely some extent towards Switzerland to complete prime of Group B.
A hat-trick from Juventus striker Jonathan David, one objective apiece from Cyle Larin and Nathan Saliba, and a Mohammad Manai personal objective sealed Canada’s win.
The victory was marred although by a critical left leg harm to midfielder Ismael Kone, who was stretchered off after being clumsily upended by Qatar’s Assim Madibo within the 51st minute.
Madibo was initially proven a yellow card for the problem which was subsequently upgraded to pink. The stricken Kone was given oxygen as he was carried off the sphere, waving to followers.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch revealed afterwards Kone was being handled in hospital for a suspected damaged leg, including that his employees had understood the severity of the harm instantly.
“It was right in front of us, and everyone could hear the bone snap,” Marsch mentioned. “I haven’t spoken to Ismael yet, but he’s at the hospital. He will prepare for a surgery.
“All people’s a bit shaken by the entire expertise due to the character of the harm, and likewise as a result of Ismael is a giant a part of the center of our staff. Will probably be a giant loss for us.”
Madibo’s dismissal left Qatar right down to 9 males after Homam el-Amin was additionally despatched off within the first half for denying a goalscoring alternative.
Canada duly made their numerical benefit depend, scoring thrice within the second half to crucially enhance their objective distinction.
The Canadians are degree with Switzerland on 4 factors on the prime of the group, however their superior objective distinction means they’ll win Group B in the event that they draw when the 2 sides meet in Vancouver on June 24.
Switzerland on monitor
Earlier Thursday, Switzerland received their marketing campaign again on monitor with a 4-1 drubbing of Bosnia-Herzegovina on the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi celebrates scoring their third objective with Ricardo Rodriguez throughout the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group B match towards Bosnia and Herzegovina, Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood, California, US, June 18, 2026. — Reuters
Johan Manzambi scored twice whereas Ruben Vargas and Granit Xhaka have been on the right track in a late flurry of objectives for the Swiss, who’re dreaming of advancing past the final 16 for the primary time at this World Cup.
Bosnia, who upset Italy in a playoff to succeed in this this 12 months’s match, are on the brink after a dangerous loss that leaves them with one level from two video games.
In different video games on Thursday, South Africa, who had two males despatched off in an abject 2-0 defeat to Mexico in Group A final week, resurrected their slender qualification hopes with a 1-1 draw towards the Czech Republic in Atlanta.
Teboho Mokoena’s penalty earned some extent for South Africa after Michal Sadilek opened the scoring for the Czechs.
However Mokoena’s late spot-kick saved each groups within the hunt for the final 32, though they’ll virtually definitely should win their last Group A fixture to advance.
Each side transfer onto one level, two behind South Korea, and 5 behind co-hosts Mexico.
Mexico turned the primary staff to succeed in the knockout rounds of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over South Korea in a gaggle decider in Guadalajara that has been shrouded in intrigue after Mexican authorities introduced down a drone that was noticed hovering over the South Korean coaching camp earlier this week.
