David hat-trick leads Canada to first World Cup win over nine-man

Jonathan David scored a hat-trick as Canada cruised to a 6-0 victory over nine-man Qatar at BC Place in Vancouver on Tuesday, securing the co-hosts' first-ever FIFA World Cup win. The result leaves Canada with four points in Group A, on the verge of advancing to the knockout round for the first time.

Dominant first half sets the tone

Canada took control early, with Cyle Larin opening the scoring in the 16th minute. The striker, who had scored against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Canada's previous match, slotted home a rebound to give the hosts the lead. Jonathan David doubled the advantage in the 29th minute with a powerful volley that beat Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada.

Qatar's hopes suffered a major blow in the 30th minute when Homan Ahmed was shown a red card for a foul on Tajon Buchanan. David made the man advantage count, scoring his second goal just before half-time in first-half stoppage time (45+3) to make it 3-0.

Second-half onslaught

Qatar's situation worsened early in the second half when Assim Madibo was sent off for a challenge on Ismael Kone, reducing the visitors to nine men. Nathan Saliba capitalized with a free-kick goal in the 64th minute, and Mohamed Manai inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 75th minute to make it 5-0. David completed his hat-trick in second-half stoppage time (90+2), capping a historic night for Canadian soccer.

Historic milestone and emotional moments

David's hat-trick made him the first player to score three goals on home soil in a World Cup match since England's Geoff Hurst in 1966. The victory was Canada's first in a World Cup match, a milestone for the 2026 co-hosts. However, the win was bittersweet as midfielder Ismael Kone was forced off with an injury after the challenge that led to Madibo's red card.

"We showed the world who Canada is. A lot of players came from nowhere, basically. We showed the fight we have in us. And we showed that we can perform on the world stage. We are just getting started. Ismael Kone's injury hurts and was emotional, but we went back out there and got the job done. Switzerland are around the corner and the job is not finished. I think we can do way better and we will have Kone in the back of our minds and do it for him." — Jonathan David, Canada striker

Canada coach Jesse Marsch had called on fans and players to make their presence felt, and both delivered. The team now turns its attention to a crucial match against Switzerland, with a place in the knockout round within reach.