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It was supposed to be a moment of absolute joy. Canada secured their first-ever win since their first World Cup appearance 40 years ago in emphatic style, beating Qatar 6-0 in front of a full and energized crowd at Vancouver Stadium. They are almost guaranteed a place in the 32-team knockout stage. But the jubilation of the victory was overshadowed by a serious injury to Canadian midfielder Ismail Kone. The incident happened eight minutes into the second half, when Canada was leading 3-0. Former Otford midfielder Kone, shortly after receiving the ball, was the victim of a stiff challenge from Asim Madibo. As Madibo struggled for position, the bride's leg was fatally injured. The reaction of the bride and the players around her says it all. The 24-year-old Sassuolo midfielder was left in shock and grief, with his leg clearly broken. His distraught teammates rushed to him as the referee stopped the game and medics entered the field. Madibo, on the other hand, put his head on his hands. A fight breaks out between the two groups, as frustration and anger at such an incident unfolds. Kone, who suffered an injury that ended the World Cup for him, was stretchered off but raised a finger to the stadium crowd to indicate he was fine. Canada coach Jesse Marsh said, "It happened right in front of us and everyone heard the sound of his leg breaking. I haven't spoken to Ismail yet, but he's in the hospital. He'll be prepping for surgery. The whole thing is kind of saddened by the type of injury. And Ismail is a big loss for our team." Considering the nature of the injury, the bride waved to the stadium crowd as she was carried off the field. "It's a statement about Ismail, but it's also a statement about an incredible team," Marsh said. "I've been telling people for years about the character of this team. You see everyone in the team is grieving, but we've got to focus on playing hard." And rightly so, Canada's players and fans have turned grief into strength. When the game resumed they jumped on the attack and scored three more goals to finish the match 6-0. A climactic break in the second half brought tears to coach Jesse Marsh's eyes. Nathan Saliba, who replaced Cone, held up Cone's jersey after the team's fifth goal. "He'll come back, come back stronger and his career will go great," Marsh said of Conner. "I said during the climactic break, Ismail wanted us to finish this match, and we had to." Marsh said after the match that Qatar's Madibo regretted the challenge on Con, and said the challenge was not intentional. "He came into the dressing room and expressed his regrets," Marsh said. "I think he didn't intend to commit such a terrible foul, I don't blame him but I don't understand the reaction of their bench." Madibo, however, received a red card in the match, resulting in Qatar playing with 9 men. Because the referee gave a red card to Qatar's Homam Al Amin for a foul on Tazan Buchanan in the first half. Canada's chances of making the knockout stages are still uncertain, but they now need a point to secure second place in their group. But they need to beat Switzerland to secure top spot in the group. It's a historic moment for Canada, as they have never scored a point in a World Cup before. Marsh said, "You see, we have a brotherhood. When I took this responsibility, that was one of the first things I noticed, how close and related they are to each other. And in a moment like this I think they don't need me, they need each other. Their families are here, and we're going to have a barbecue party tomorrow. And we're going to enjoy it, and Ishmael will be remembered." Although Koneke's injury and the fact that it dampened the team's spirit a bit, it was an important thing for the team and the coach to celebrate this historic win. After the final whistle of the match, they all came together to form a huddle, after which Coach Marsh led them on a lap of the stadium. He continued to wave to the crowd, and a rendition of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army played in the stadium. "This is a historic day, and I think the people of Canada will remember this day," Marsh said. "It's a day 40 million Canadians will say they were there when this day happened. It's an extraordinary and important moment." --- ## Related Articles 1. [Mundial 2026](https://banthangvn.com/vi/news/christian-pulisic-chay-ua-thoi-gian-e-kip-tham-du-tran-au-cua-oi-tuyen-my-voi-australia) 2. [Mundial 2026](https://oranjenet.live/nl/news/hoe-het-wk-2026-voor-mannen-te-bekijken-tv-streaming-en-volledig-schema-voor-alle-104-wedstrijden)