Ali Ahmed has to start against Qatar for fifa world cup 2026™, a switch Canada are weighing after an up-and-down 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The second group game on Thursday now carries real weight after the team opened with a point instead of the three it wanted.
Stephen Eustaquio and Ali Ahmed
Stephen Eustaquio said after Tuesday’s training session that taking three points against Qatar would put Canada in a good stage to get out of the group. Reaching the knockout stage would make this World Cup a success for Canada, and he put the next match in plain terms: “This is one of the biggest games with the men’s national team.”
Ali Ahmed moved himself into the selection conversation with his second-half impact against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a spark plug after Canada trailed through stretches of the match, and he impressed the coaching staff despite missing both World Cup warm-up friendlies with a lingering hamstring injury.
Jesse Marsch’s second-half shift
Canada were at their most dynamic after the break against Bosnia and Herzegovina, when Jesse Marsch used all five of his substitutes. That change in tempo is part of why Ahmed is now being viewed as a likely starter, with Canada looking for a faster, sharper edge from the opening whistle against Qatar.
The second-half surge also gave the staff something concrete to work with. Cyle Larin scored Canada’s equaliser, Tani Oluwaseyi missed a prime first-half chance before growing into the game, and Promise David made his presence known, but Ahmed was the one who most clearly altered the rhythm.
Jonathan David in Vancouver
Tuesday’s session in Vancouver was described as the loudest, most boisterous and most enjoyable Canada had looked in weeks, and Jonathan David was upbeat in that environment. Alistair Johnston was even more direct. “The lads are over that initial phase of the bright lights of a home World Cup and everything that comes with that,” he said on Tuesday.
Johnston added the practical edge Canada now needs: “We know exactly what we need now. We need to go win a game against Qatar.” That leaves Thursday’s match as more than a reset after the Bosnia draw. It is the game that can move Canada closer to the knockout stage, with Ahmed’s possible promotion and David’s role in attack sitting at the center of the plan.
