Jonathan David bagged a hat-trick as Canada secured ​their first ever World Cup finals victory and boosted their chances of reaching the knockout stages with a 6-0 thrashing of hapless ‌nine-man Qatar on Thursday.

The co-hosts’ joy at the resounding victory was tempered by a serious injury suffered by midfielder Ismael Kone, but they moved top of Group B with four points after two matches, while Qatar are bottom with one.

Canada next host second-placed Switzerland, who also have four points, in Vancouver on Wednesday.

Roared on by a vocal red-and-white crowd, Canada came out all ​guns blazing. Cyle Larin repaid coach Jesse Marsch’s faith in the 16th minute, reacting quickest after goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada saved David’s effort to ​give the hosts the lead.

Larin, who scored off the bench in Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, had ⁠been handed a start alongside David, the country’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Canada doubled their advantage 13 minutes later, David meeting a cross with a powerful volley and ​the match swung completely in Canada’s favour when Qatar were reduced to 10 men.

A penalty was initially awarded for El Amin’s foul on Tajon Buchanan, but ​a VAR review ruled the offence occurred outside the area. The decision was downgraded to a free kick, but Homam Ahmed’s yellow card was upgraded to a red.

David added his second just before halftime, bundling home from close range after Abunada had saved Larin’s header, leaving Qatar with a mountain to climb.

Kone sustained his injury following a tackle by ​Assim Madibo and was carried off on a stretcher, but the 24-year-old was later seen sitting up and waving to the crowd, his left leg ​in a large inflatable protective boot.

Tempers and emotions spilled over following the incident and Madibo was shown a red card to reduce Qatar to nine men.

Substitute Nathan Saliba, who ‌replaced Kone, ⁠added the fourth by whipping in a free kick before running to the sideline and holding up Kone’s shirt in tribute to him.

Things went from bad to worse for Qatar as midfielder Mohammad Mannai turned the ball into his own net before David completed his hat-trick in stoppage time to compound a miserable night for the visitors.

There was plenty of bite to the contest, and Marsch turned that intensity into celebration at full-time, facing the stands and pumping his ​fists in front of a partisan ​crowd in a country better known ⁠for its ice hockey passion. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was also in attendance to support his team.

“We wanted to play the kind of football that would electrify the crowd. We wanted to showcase the kind of talent, the mentality ​that we have,” Marsch said.

“There is going to be 40 million Canadians that claim they were in the stadium ​today. But these ⁠55,000 were lucky.

“Ismael will be fine. We will get him good doctors — we’ll get him back. Obviously, our heart is with him, but that kid has got a big future and he’s a big part of everything we do,” Marsch said of Kone.

Qatar next face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle, with coach Julen Lopetegui ⁠insisting his side ​will regroup.

“We have two red cards, so those players are out for the next match,” ​Lopetegui said. “There is a big difference between the teams, and the next match will be more difficult. But we are not here because someone gave us a place. We are here because ​we earned it, and we will play and fight until the end.”

Fans in Afghanistan can tune in daily to Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) to watch these thrilling matches live.

For detailed match schedules, fans can follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media platforms for the latest updates.

Belgium’s Foreign Minister, Maxime Prevot, has said his government cannot block an Afghan delegation from traveling to Brussels for European Union-hosted talks, despite his personal opposition to inviting representatives of Afghanistan’s current authorities.

Speaking before parliament’s foreign relations committee on Wednesday, Prevot responded to questions from lawmakers regarding visas issued to members of the Afghan delegation, according to Belgian news agency Belga.

The foreign minister reiterated that he does not support inviting representatives of Afghanistan’s current administration and stressed that formal recognition of the authorities remains out of the question.

However, Prevot noted that Belgium’s role as host to the European Union’s institutions limits its ability to prevent foreign delegations invited by EU bodies from attending meetings in Brussels.

He confirmed that Belgian authorities had processed visa applications submitted by the Afghan delegation and that all necessary security checks had been completed.

The delegation is expected to travel to Brussels for discussions requested by the European Commission, with talks expected to focus on the return of Afghan refugees and migration-related issues.

The meeting comes as European governments continue to engage with Afghanistan’s authorities on practical matters, while maintaining that such contacts do not amount to formal diplomatic recognition.

Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which has warned that restrictions affecting women and girls could further hinder access to essential healthcare services.

Olga Cherevko, OCHA’s Head of Communications in Afghanistan, said in a post on X that frontline health workers are saving the lives of mothers and newborns every day despite significant challenges. She stressed that continued support for Afghanistan’s healthcare system is vital to maintaining life-saving maternal and newborn health services.

Cherevko also called on the international community to sustain humanitarian assistance, saying ongoing support is crucial to protecting the health and well-being of mothers and infants across the country.

The warning comes amid continued concerns over healthcare access and funding shortages, which aid organizations say could undermine progress in reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

Meanwhile, officials at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health have previously stated that maternal mortality has declined in recent years. The ministry has questioned figures published by some international organizations, arguing that such estimates do not reflect the reality on the ground and are not based on comprehensive national statistics.