Canada vs. Qatar Live Updates: Larin Scores Opener

Live updates: Canada vs Qatar

By Henry Hanson

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29' WHAT A GOAL!

By Simon Smale

28' Free kick Canada

By Simon Smale

Qatar's defensive shape is all over the place.

They are trying to play the ball out and are backing their own skill to do so, but with no rationale as they keep getting picked off.

They are swamped in possession again and then give away a free kick 35 metres out.

23' Now it's time for the ad break

By Simon Smale

Good job Canada didn't get any instructions 60 seconds or so ago, otherwise what will they do during this three minutes of pointlessness while we endure adverts.

The crowd boos, FIFA doesn't care, we'll be back after learning about insurance options or something.

21' Canada continues to press

By Simon Smale

Boualem Khoukhi has gone down after Canada wins a free kick 40 metres from the goal and delivers a cross to the penalty area.

The stricken Qatari player was left writhing on the ground after challenging Derek Cornelius.

Now the Canadians are told off for getting some instructions from Jesse Marsch — only delays mandated by a nonsensical ad break allow coach interaction, apparently — and Canada apologises, having apparently got everything they needed from their coach anyway.

Khoukhi will now have to be off for at least a minute after getting some treatment.

16' CANADA SCORES THE OPENER!

By Simon Smale

AND BC PLACE EXPLODES!

CHECK THE ROOF! IT'S ABOUT TO FLY OFF INTO THE PACIFIC!

Qatar can't get rid of the ball from the corner, it's horrid defending from the Qataris.

Canada recycles and crosses deep to Jonathan David, whose first time half-volley is saved well by Mahmud Abunada.

Abunada can't hold it though and Cyle Larin reacts first to poke the loose ball into the back of the net.

Canada has NEVER lost when Cyle Larin has scored.

They lead 1-0 and BC Place is party central.

15' Tajon Buchanan gets a free kick

By Simon Smale

But he, and everyone else in BC Place, wants a card for that.

I am OK with it not being one, mostly because it's raised the atmosphere to an ever higher pitch of feverish support.

Nothing comes from the free kick until Edmilson Junior dallies on the ball and gives away a corner.

Great niggling persistence by Buchanan.

Draw written all over it?

By Simon Smale

Good morn Simon! Gonna stick my neck out here and say it'll be a draw CAN 1: QAT 1.

- Big Ben

I dunno, Big Ben (fine shift you've already put in today, by the way).

I feel good about our Canadian cousins today — big crowd, the nerves of the first game out of the system, Qatar have been pretty poor for a while ...

9' Derek Cornelius is booked

By Simon Smale

Qatar on the counterattack — that's where they are going to find joy, the one-time Asian champions.

It's clever from Akram Afif to draw contact, and he is clipped.

The crowd are not happy about the card being shown, but he was the last man, it's a good call.

The free kick is hammered towards goal but hits the wall, goes behind for a corner, which Canada clears.

7' Save!

By Simon Smale

Jonathan David meets a deep cross at the back post and powers the ball goal-ward on the volley.

It's a great effort, but a fine save by Mahmud Abunada at his near post denies Canada the opener.

You'd expect him to make it, in truth, but it was a save that still needed making.

Canada looking to get those crosses in and overload the back post.

4' Canada wants a penalty

By Simon Smale

Febrile atmosphere inside BC Place.

The Canadians are running like over-enthusiastic toddlers and sprinting forward.

They race into the penalty area and David goes down but it looked like just a tangle and there's nothing doing there says the referee.

The crowd are livid.

2' Great chance for the hosts!

By Simon Smale

Oh, Jonathan David will want his time again there.

A cross from the right side somehow finds its way to the Canadian forward's feet, but he wasn't expecting it to get there and his heavy touch takes it away from him without him really even realising.

1' Qatar with the first chance

By Simon Smale

Ahmed gets down the left side amidst general sounds of alarm from the home supporters.

His cross to the back post is just too far ahead of Edmilson Junior.

Good chance.

1' We're underway

By Simon Smale

Canada are in their black shirts and they are going to kick off.

Qatar are in the white.

Time for the anthems

By Simon Smale

The Canadian crowd are really up and about and barely quieten down at all for the playing of the introduction to the Qatari national anthem.

There are a handful of Qatari fans over to one side of the stadium, their white clothing starkly standing out against the overwhelming red that bleeds into their little section and occupies the rest of the stands almost completely inside this historic venue.

Now it's time for O' Canada and oh, Canada, that is some rendition, the roof holding in the sound and allowing it to echo around and amplify into a roar befitting an enormous clash such as this.

Both teams got their first World Cup points last time out.

Now they're both searching for that next step and a first ever win.

No pressure for 'little country' Qatar

By Simon Smale

- Reuters

Qatar are approaching the World Cup with a relaxed mindset, focusing on enjoying the occasion and remaining competitive rather than feeling pressure, manager Julen Lopetegui said ahead of today's game against co-hosts Canada in Vancouver.

Qatar began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in California, while Canada also were held 1-1 by Bosnia and Herzegovina in their Group B opener in Toronto.

Qatar, with a population of around 3.17 million, arrived at the tournament seeking to improve on their only previous World Cup appearance, when they hosted the 2022 edition and finished bottom of their group without a point.

"The word pressure is not in our mind," Lopetegui told reporters on Wednesday.

"When you follow one dream, you're never under pressure. You are with a big ambition, big excitement, because we achieved one thing that never happened in the history of Qatar, which was to stay here.

"I think that it's [Qatar] one little country, but with a big passion, a big investment about the facilities, about how we have to improve every day," he added.

"Now we are not thinking about what we did against Switzerland, what was the past. Now we are only focused on being able to face one strong team."

With a squad drawn largely from their domestic league, Qatar have developed a cohesive team that has proved formidable in Asia.

They no longer carry the intense scrutiny that surrounded the 2022 tournament, though back-to-back Asian Cup titles and a favourable group have raised expectations.

"It was the first time a lot of pressure," midfielder Abdulaziz Hatem said.

"Maybe we didn't have the experience, but now we are here. We have the experience. We are ready.

"We will see tomorrow what will happen. But I wish we are going to do a good game, and to continue making history.

"It's difficult, not easy for sure, but I think we are able to do it."

Welcome to Vancouver and Canada's 12th man

By Simon Smale

- with Reuters

The Canadians kicked off their campaign in Toronto, but now they've decamped to the west coast and the National Soccer Development Centre in Vancouver.

Canadian coach Jesse Marsch is looking forward to playing in front of a packed house at BC Place.

"I know this is a football town, Vancouver. We've seen it many times before, and we expect this place to be rocking, man. I mean, red everywhere, rocking, supporting these guys, supporting their players, their team, their country," he enthused.

"Like, these guys will be ready to perform, and we want to make sure that Qatar feels not just the team, but the crowd.

"So show up, be loud, use the echo in the stadium, and make sure that we have a 12th man in the stadium."

Want more info on the stadiums being used at this World Cup?

Here you go.

Scotland in the States

By Simon Smale

Morning Simon. I particularly like the ‘Aussie’ Scotsman in the front row of that photo complete with kilt , bare chest and THONGS.

- Phillip

Haha - that's a great spot Phillip.

I wonder how much of that is the fact that he's seeing sun for the first time in 12 months?

Qatari fans building their own fan culture

By Simon Smale

- Reuters

The fan movement that gave Qatar a sea of maroon at the World Cup began with an uncomfortable conclusion: four years ago, the host nation had failed to make enough noise at its own tournament.

When Qatar opened their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on Saturday, thousands of supporters dressed in traditional Qatari attire gathered behind one goal, waving maroon-and-white flags as drums beat and chants echoed around the stadium.

"We felt the fans were scattered and didn't really have a presence at the 2022 World Cup," said Mubarak Al Mansouri, media officer for Mudaraj Al Anabi (The Maroons' Stand), a fan-led supporters' initiative founded after the tournament in Qatar.

While the Gulf nation successfully hosted football's biggest event, some supporters were left frustrated by what they saw as a lack of organisation and visibility among fans backing the national team on home soil.

The experience prompted a group of young supporters to launch Mudaraj Al Anabi ahead of the 2023 Asian Cup, hoping to unite fans and build a stronger culture of organised support around the team.

The initiative quickly gathered momentum. During Qatar's successful Asian Cup title defence on home soil, the group organised chants, coordinated supporters, and encouraged match attendance.

"The fans were one of the reasons we won the Asian Cup," Al Mansouri told Reuters.

"They also played a role in helping us through the World Cup qualifying playoffs."

The movement's growth was evident in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland.

According to Al Mansouri, around 1,000 supporters travelled from Qatar for the tournament, but the crowd grew to roughly 4,000 once students, expatriates, tourists and members of Arab communities joined them.

"The demand for tickets from students, visitors and Arab communities was unprecedented," he said.

The movement has also worked closely with the Qatar Football Association, which Al Mansouri said had helped provide tickets, flights for away matches and logistical support.

The emergence of Mudaraj Al Anabi reflects a notable development in a country where discussion about football has often focused on infrastructure, investment and development pathways rather than supporter culture.

Its activities have increasingly extended beyond the stadium. Ahead of Qatar's second group match against Canada in Vancouver, hundreds of supporters dressed in maroon took part in a fan march through the city on Wednesday, waving flags and chanting behind drums in a display of support.

"[This march] reflects the confidence and belief we have in our national team," said supporter Abdulaziz Al Maarafi.

"It also shows that Qatari supporters will always stand behind the national team, wherever it plays around the world."