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An emotional night for everyone associated with the Canada team Ismael Kone's serious-looking injury left Canada manager Jesse Marsch in tears and cast a shadow over their first World Cup finals victory as they swept aside nine-man Qatar Author | Peter Grainger  Stadium | BC Place Vancouver With the co-hosts already 3-0 up in Vancouver and enjoying a numerical advantage, Qatar's Assim Omer Madibo and Kone challenged for the ball, leading to a lengthy stoppage and the Canadian midfielder being carried off on a stretcher. Madibo was initially shown a yellow card, but it was upgraded to a red following a video assistant referee (VAR) review. As Canadian supporters chanted his name, former Watford midfielder Kone was able to sit up and wave while being taken around the side of the pitch, inhaling pain relief. Canada are now in a strong position to reach the knockout rounds, but the injury to Kone could prove a major setback to any hopes of progressing beyond the last 32. The distre...

Historic moment for Qatar They claimed the first World Cup point in their history with a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Switzerland. Author | Peter Grainger Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area Stadium Boualem Khoukhi rose to head home Homam El Amin's cross in the fourth minute of added time, sparking jubilant celebrations among Julen Lopetegui's players. A closer analysis of what happened It was a remarkable finale to a contest largely controlled by Switzerland, who had looked set to secure victory through Breel Embolo's first-half penalty. The striker converted from the spot after Remo Freuler was brought down by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, although television replays suggested the Bologna midfielder may have been marginally offside in the build-up. At that point, Murat Yakın's side appeared on course to move to the top of Group B ahead of more demanding fixtures against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Canada. How costly could these two dropped points be for Switze...