Canada thrash nine-man Qatar 6-0 as Jonathan David nets a hat-trick

Canada delivered a masterclass at Vancouver's BC Place, crushing Qatar 6-0 on a perfect day for the 2026 World Cup co-hosts. The game broke open early: Cyle Larin opened the scoring in the 16th minute, Jonathan David made it two in the 29th and, after a third goal in the 33rd, the striker closed the first half with his brace in the 45th. After the break, Niko Saliba struck in the 64th, a Mohammed Al Mannai own goal in the 75th deepened the rout, and David completed his hat-trick in the 90th, set up by Saliba.

The scoreline makes sense alongside the cards. Qatar went down to ten in the 33rd, right as the third goal arrived, with a red for Homam Al-Amin, and then saw Assim Madibo sent off in the 53rd to leave them with nine. Earlier, Derek Cornelius had been booked in the 9th for Canada, while Ahmed Fathi was cautioned in the 62nd. Down two men for more than half an hour, Julen Lopetegui's side had no way to stem the red-and-white tide.

BC Place, a roofed arena on the banks of False Creek and one of the great venues on Canada's west coast, hosted a party with all 52,497 seats roaring behind the maple-leaf side. Vancouver, a World Cup host city, pushed its team from the first whistle and celebrated each of the six goals as a statement of intent from the host.

Jesse Marsch lined Canada up in a bold 4-4-2, with Maxime Crepeau in goal and a David-Larin strike pairing that did all the damage, well supplied from midfield by Stephen Eustaquio and Ismael Koné. Opposite them, Lopetegui's 4-3-3, with Meshaal Abunada in goal and Akram Afif as the attacking focal point, was completely neutralised after the dismissals.

In the Group B standings, the rout vaults Canada to three points and, above all, a crushing goal difference that could prove decisive in the fight for top spot and qualification to the next round of this 48-team 2026 World Cup. Qatar, meanwhile, start with a deep wound and the urgent task of rebuilding.