From celebration to fear: Canada wins against Qatar but loses to Koné
Canada is almost certain to advance to the next round of the World Cup after an emphatic win against Qatar, but Ismaël Koné's serious injury has cast a shadow over the team.
VANCOUVER — The first half was a night full of contrasts for Canada: a strong win on the scoreboard but a serious concern after a serious injury to their midfield Ismaël Koné.
In the first period the host team showed complete dominance. Cyle Larin opened the scoring around the 15th minute when he scored the first goal while the game was still going well. Later, after a strong shot by Jonathan David, Larin immediately grabbed the rebound for his second goal of the tournament.
For Qatar, the situation is even worse. In the 29th minute Jonathan David struck and headed another goal into the short corner to increase the lead. Qatar soon had to go on with ten men. In one incident an apparent penalty was initiated after Tajon Buchanan's slip, but after a VAR review, the earlier penalty was changed to a free kick and the Qatari player's penalty was increased from a yellow to a red card.
Before the end of the first period, Canada again showed its level: Larin and David again contributed to a goal — Larin jumped and David hit the goal line to further sharpen the lead. Before half time Canada had reached eight attempts on target, a number not recorded since the 1994 World Cup.
But by the second half, the talk was turning to Ismaël Koné. In the 53rd minute Assim Madibo had a hard block against Koné. Immediately there was chaos: the pictures showed the disfigurement of the bottom of Koné's leg, the fear reached his teammates and even the Qatari player involved was visibly affected. Medics and reserve players immediately arrived to provide immediate relief; Koné's companions even formed a circle while he was being treated. Some cried, and according to the scenes Jonathan David was particularly moved.
After the incident, VAR changed Assim Madibo's earlier yellow card into a red card, forcing Qatar to play with nine players. Koné reportedly sat on a stretcher and even waved to supporters as he was taken out to the facilities and eventually to the hospital. Footage of the match suggests that the damage sustained was severe, so it is highly likely that the tournament is over for him.
Koné's replacement Nathan-Dylan Saliba scored the 4th goal from a free kick, and it was clear in his celebration that Koné's plight was still on their minds—he carried Koné's jersey to the bench as a sign of respect.
Late in the game, Canada's lead increased: Mohammed Al-Mannai scored an own goal after Jacob Shaffelburg's interference attempt, making it 5-0. The final note was for Jonathan David who scored his third goal near the close of the match, completing a 6-0 win.
Canada currently has four points and a very good goal difference — almost certainly making it to the next round of World Cup 2026. With the first two places in the group and eight best third-place finishers advancing, it seems impossible that Canada won't qualify.
Canada will next face Switzerland in the final group match on Wednesday, while Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar clash. At that time it is expected that there will be further clarification about the condition of Ismaël Koné. His serious injury cast a huge shadow over Canada's first major victory at a World Cup that would normally have sparked widespread celebration.
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