Canada rout Qatar for a first World Cup win as Mexico reach the knockouts

Canada had never won a World Cup match. On Thursday they won one 6-0, with Jonathan David helping himself to a hat-trick against a Qatar side that finished with nine men. Mexico, meanwhile, booked the first knockout spot of the tournament. Not a bad day to be a host.

Canada go big in Vancouver

David scored three, the first hat-trick by a host-nation player at a World Cup since Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final, and Canada’s 6-0 win matched the biggest by a host in tournament history. Qatar made it easy, going down to nine men with two red cards, but Canada took the invitation. The mood was dented by a bad injury to Ismaël Koné, who broke his leg after a tackle and, coach Jesse Marsch said, needs surgery. “No Canadian will forget this day,” Marsch added, which cut both ways.

Mexico get there first

Mexico did not need to be pretty. Luis Romo’s goal just after half-time beat South Korea 1-0 and made Mexico the first team into the knockout rounds, top of Group A with two wins from two. A South Korea goalkeeping slip did most of the work, but nobody in green will mind how it looked.

History in Atlanta, on and off the grass

The Czechia and South Africa 1-1 draw had its own milestone. The game was run by an all-female American refereeing crew, Tori Penso in the middle with Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt on the lines, a first for a men’s World Cup match. On the pitch, Michal Sadílek scored the fastest goal of the tournament so far, after six minutes, before Teboho Mokoena’s late penalty rescued a point for South Africa.

First through: Mexico into the last 32; Canada's 6-0 equals the record win for a World Cup host.

See how Groups A and B look now on the live table.

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