The night of June 18–19 at the 2026 World Cup was action-packed: two of the tournament's host nations — Mexico and Canada — secured decisive wins in the second round of the group stage. However, Canada's joy was dampened by a serious injury to midfielder Ismaël Koné, who was carried off the pitch on a stretcher and taken to hospital.
Mexico — first into the 2026 World Cup knockouts
Mexico beat South Korea 1-0 to become the first team at the tournament to guarantee their place in the knockout round. The only goal was scored by Luis Romo in the 50th minute, capitalising on a defensive error by the opposition. The Koreans had several dangerous chances late in the match, but goalkeeper Raúl Rangel made two crucial saves. As a result, El Tri have six points from two games and top Group A.
Canada make history: 6-0 and their first-ever World Cup win
Earlier that same night, Canada thrashed Qatar 6-0 — marking the first victory in Canadian national team history at a World Cup. The star of the match was Jonathan David, who completed a hat-trick. Cyle Larin, Nathan Saliba, and an own goal in stoppage time also got on the scoresheet. The result lifted Canada to the top of Group B, ahead of Switzerland.
The match was not without controversy: Qatar finished the game with nine men — Homam Ahmed received a red card in the first half, while Assim Madibo was sent off in the second half following a reckless foul on Koné.
Koné — broken leg, surgery ahead: a major blow for Canada
The most alarming news of the night was the injury to 24-year-old midfielder Ismaël Koné. After Madibo's tackle in the second half, Koné went down immediately clutching his left leg — medical staff quickly brought out a stretcher. The player waved to the crowd as he was carried off with a splint on his leg. After the match, head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed the fracture and announced that Koné was being prepared for surgery at a local hospital in Vancouver. "It happened right in front of the bench. We all heard it," Marsch told reporters. He said the injury reminded him of Tajon Buchanan's training-ground fracture in 2024. Defender Moïse Bombito visited Koné in hospital that same evening.
Koné, who plays for Sassuolo in Serie A, has made 41 appearances for the Canadian national team. Earlier in the tournament he was named Man of the Match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first round. His absence will be a significant loss for the Canadian side in the matches ahead.
Disciplinary fallout: Qatar finished with three red cards
Two red cards for Qatar in a single match is a rare occurrence at a World Cup. Following a VAR review, Madibo received a straight red card for dangerous play against Koné. FIFA's disciplinary committee may examine the incident separately given the nature of the foul.
More group-stage matches this evening
Tonight at the 2026 World Cup, USA face Australia (Group D, Seattle), and Scotland take on Morocco while Brazil play Haiti (Group C). A detailed preview of these matches will be published in the evening preview at 18:45 Kyiv time.
