Canada beats Qatar 6-0

Led by Jonathan David’s hat trick, the Canadian men’s national team has made history in Vancouver and earned the program’s first ever FIFA World Cup win with a 6-0 victory over Qatar on Thursday.

With the six-goal victory, Canada jumps ahead of Switzerland to the top of Group B by virtue of goal differential.

Cyle Larin got the party started 16 minutes in for his second goal of the tournament. After a beautiful effort from Alistair Johnston to get the ball into the box, the Southampton man jumped on a rebound and hammered it home for first goal of the match.

David extended the Canadian lead in the 29th minute when he fired home a beautiful volley off a deflection to up the lead to 2-0.

He struck again in first-half stoppage time to put Canada up 3-0. After Larin’s header was stopped, David pounced on the rebound to once again extend Canada’s lead.

Ismael Kone was stretchered off the pitch early in the second half after a poor challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo in the 54th minute. Kone immediately fell to the ground and was tended to by the medical staff for several minutes before being taken off the field while Madibo was handed a red card, Qatar’s second of the match.

Nathan Saliba entered the game in his place.

Minutes after entering the game in place of Kone, Saliba gave Canada a 4-0 lead with a wonderful free kick attempt that bounced off the post and into the net. Following the goal, Saliba held up Kone’s jersey to raucous applause from the crowd in Vancouver.

The lead ballooned to five goals when Mohammed Manai’s attempted clear off a Jacob Shaffelburg shot was blasted straight into his own net, extending Canada’s lead once again.

David finished off his hat trick in second-half stoppage time to put the exclamation point on an incredible result for Canada.

Canada’s final group stage match will decide the Group B winner, as they will battle Switzerland in Vancouver next Wednesday, June 24.