Canada rout nine-man Qatar but Koné injury sours first-ever World Cup win
Canada secured their first-ever men's World Cup victory with a dominant 6-0 win over Qatar. The achievement was tempered by a serious leg injury sustained by midfielder Ismaël Koné during the match.
Why it matters
This marks a historic milestone for Canadian men's soccer, though the injury to a key player raises concerns for the team's future tournament prospects.
Nathan Saliba holds up the jersey of injured teammate Ismaël Koné after scoring Canada’s fourth goal in the second half on Thursday. Photograph: Anne-Marie Sorvin/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters View image in fullscreen Nathan Saliba holds up the jersey of injured teammate Ismaël Koné after scoring Canada’s fourth goal in the second half on Thursday. Photograph: Anne-Marie Sorvin/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters World Cup 2026 Canada rout nine-man Qatar but Koné injury sours first-ever World Cup win Jeff Rueter at BC Place Vancouver Thu 18 Jun 2026 20.20 EDT Last modified on Fri 19 Jun 2026 07.56 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google At full strength, Canada can go toe-to-toe with any opponents in the Americas. After steady climbs up the Concacaf charts and a credible run to the 2024 Copa América semi-final, all hope was that a talented squad could find their stride at a home World Cup .
The report provides a factual account of a sporting event and its immediate aftermath.
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