David hits hat-trick as Canada put six past Qatar

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Jonathan David produced a clinical hat-trick as Canada delivered one of the most dominant performances of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, dismantling nine-man Qatar 6-0 in their Group B clash on Thursday night.

This is Canada’s first ever victory in a world cup tournament.

The Canadians overwhelmed their opponents from start to finish, combining attacking flair with relentless pressure to secure a victory that significantly boosts their chances of advancing to the knockout stages.

Canada took the lead in the 16th minute when Cyle Larin reacted quickest to a rebound inside the penalty area, firing home to open the scoring. The breakthrough set the tone for a one-sided contest as Jesse Marsch’s side repeatedly exposed Qatar’s defensive vulnerabilities.

David doubled Canada’s advantage in the 29th minute, calmly converting after capitalising on a rebound at the edge of the box. The Lille forward struck again deep into first-half stoppage time, tapping into an unguarded net after another defensive lapse to send Canada into the break with a commanding 3-0 lead.

Any hopes of a Qatari comeback disappeared early in the second half when midfielder Assim Madibo was shown a red card following a VAR review, reducing the Asian side to 10 men and compounding an already difficult evening.

Canada continued to pile on the pressure, with substitute Nathan Saliba adding a spectacular free-kick in the 64th minute for the fourth goal.

Qatar’s misery deepened 11 minutes later when Mohammad Al Mannai inadvertently turned the ball into his own net under pressure from the Canadian attack.

David completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, finishing off a neat pass from Saliba to seal an emphatic 6-0 victory and become the standout performer of the encounter.

The result leaves Canada in a strong position in Group B and underlines their growing credentials on football’s biggest stage.

For Qatar, however, the heavy defeat raises serious concerns ahead of their final group match as they seek to salvage pride and remain in contention.