After 40 years of waiting, the Canadian men finally have their World Cup moment and they delivered it in the most emphatic way. Jonathan David’s stunning hat-trick led to a comprehensive 6-0 demolition of nine-man Qatar at a deafening, sold-out BC Place in Vancouver on Thursday, giving the co-hosts their first win in men’s World Cup history and sending Group B to the top in the most spectacular fashion.It was total, complete dominance. Canada finished with 33 shots to Qatar’s two, an expected goal total of 4.54 to 0.18, and a score that doubles as the biggest World Cup win in CONCACAF history. The only shadow on an otherwise perfect evening was the sight of midfielder Ismaël Koné stretchered off in the second half with what appeared to be a serious broken leg – a moment that silenced the stadium and cast a cloud over the celebrations.Veteran forward Cyle Larin (31) started the fun in the 16th minute. Davido’s shot was deflected into the danger area by goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, and Larin pounced with predatory instinct to score his second goal of the tournament. David then took center stage, finding the bottom corner with a gorgeous volley in the 28th minute before acrobatically scoring from close range just before the break to give Canada a 3-0 halftime lead, sending the 52,000 red-clad fans inside BC Place into a standing ovation as the whistle blew.Qatar’s afternoon went from bad to disastrous. Homam Ahmed was sent off in the 38th minute for hauling down Tajon Buchanan in a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and Assim Madibo followed him down the tunnel in the 47th minute for a reckless tackle that left Koné in a heap on the turf, a challenge that sparked angry scenes on the Canadian bench.Substitute Nathan Saliba, who came on for the nimble Koné, produced one of the night’s most touching moments, curling a perfect free-kick past the post and into the net in the 66th minute before sprinting to the touchline and holding up Koné’s number 8 shirt in a spine-tingling tribute to the crowd. Mohamed Manai’s own goal in the 75th minute added a fifth before David completed his hat-trick with a cool finish deep into stoppage time to make it 42. goal in his outstanding international career.Canada now top Group B with four points and a goal difference of plus-seven, setting up a blockbuster group final against Switzerland next Wednesday, a game that will decide who tops the knockout group.
