Canada wins a first World Cup match as debutants take points and goals

Co-host Canada won a first World Cup match by beating Qatar 6-0 on the second matchday. The result followed an opening draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina that had already given Canada a first point. A win and a point put the co-hosts into the group conversation with something no earlier Canadian side had recorded.

Cape Verde drew 0-0 with Spain and later drew 2-2 with Uruguay. Kevin Pina scored Cape Verde's first World Cup goal in the Uruguay match. The draw with Spain was a result against a favorite, and the Uruguay game supplied the first goal.

Curacao, the smallest nation by population at the tournament, earned a first point by drawing 0-0 with Ecuador. Egypt won a first World Cup match, 3-1 over New Zealand. Those two results were debut milestones separate from Canada's win.

The 1,000th World Cup match was played at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, where Japan beat Tunisia 4-0. The match number and the score were both part of the report. Monterrey was the site, not one of the opening-ceremony stadiums from the week before.

Iranian Americans had protested outside SoFi before Iran's match with New Zealand, some with the Lion and Sun flag despite FIFA's ban on it inside grounds. The protest was outside the stadium. It did not change the scores recorded for other teams that week.

The group stage was still producing firsts rather than a final four. Canada's 6-0, Egypt's 3-1, Japan's 4-0, and Cape Verde's first goal were the numbers on the page. Curacao's goalless draw was a point without a goal.