Canada Secures First-Ever World Cup Win, But Victory Marred by Injury

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In Group B of the North and Central American World Cup, Canada crushed Qatar 6-0 to secure their first-ever victory in the tournament finals. However, the team could not fully celebrate the landslide win as midfielder Kone was forced to undergo surgery following a rough tackle by a Qatari player.

Cho Min-ki reports.

[Reporter]

Backed by the fervent support of home fans, Canada began their goal spree in the 16th minute of the first half.

After David's shot was parried by the goalkeeper, Larin tapped it into the net.

Thirteen minutes later, David took matters into his own hands.

He finished a ball that deflected off a defender with a powerful right-footed volley.

After gaining a numerical advantage following the expulsion of a Qatari defender, Canada effectively sealed the match with David's second goal just before the end of the first half.

However, Canada could not smile despite holding a commanding lead in the second half.

The entire stadium held its breath, sensing a serious injury when Canadian midfielder Kone went down after a rough tackle from behind by a Qatari player.

The harrowing scene lasted for nearly six minutes, with even the player who committed the foul and was sent off clutching his head in distress. Eventually, Kone was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

Saliba, who replaced Kone, scored an additional goal with a brilliant free kick. He then signaled the number '8'—Kone's jersey number—with his fingers and held up Kone's uniform to send a message of support.

Following an own goal by Qatar and David completing his hat-trick in second-half stoppage time, Canada celebrated their first-ever tournament win with a 6-0 victory. Yet, upon hearing the news that Kone would have to undergo surgery, the Canadian players refrained from celebrating and prayed for their teammate's speedy recovery.

[Jonathan David / Canadian National Football Team: It was obviously a tough moment, but we have to be strong for him and we have to get it done.]

Canada has moved to the top of Group B, but they are expected to be the underdogs in their third match against Switzerland. This raises the possibility of a Round of 32 clash against South Korea, currently second in Group A.

(Video Editing: Park Ki-duk)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.