VANCOUVER — Canada midfielder Ismaël Koné was stretchered off the field in the second half of the host nation’s match against Qatar on Thursday at BC Place in Vancouver.
The 24-year-old looked to have suffered a serious injury after a challenge from Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo in the second half and was applauded off the pitch by supporters at BC Place after receiving medical attention on the field.
Koné went down on a hard tackle from behind by Madibo, and players on the field immediately waved to the sideline for help before surrounding Koné on the pitch.
After a VAR review, Madibo was given a straight red card and sent off for a dangerous play, leaving Qatar to finish the match with nine players after Homam Al Amin was sent off in the first half.
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Nathan Saliba — who replaced Koné in the 57th minute — raised Koné’s shirt in celebration after scoring his team’s fourth goal.
It puts a blemish on an otherwise perfect afternoon for Canada, who were on course for their first World Cup victory.
