Qatar face a stern test against co-hosts Canada in their Group B World Cup clash in Vancouver on Thursday (Friday 1am Qatar time), but the two-time Asian champions are well prepared and determined to build on their opening result.Both teams opened their campaigns with draws. Julen Lopetegui’s side showed character in their 1-1 draw with Switzerland, staying in the contest under pressure before forcing a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser through Miro Muheim’s own goal. Canada were held 1-1 by Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto and will again enjoy strong home support.Qatar arrived at this tournament seeking to improve on their only previous World Cup appearance, when they hosted the 2022 edition and exited bottom of their group without a point. They have already bettered that return. Group B is finely balanced, with all teams on a point after their respective openers. Victory in Vancouver would send Qatar to the top of the standings and place them in a strong position to reach the knockout stage, while anything less would leave their hopes resting on the final group match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 24 in Seattle.'We are preparing very well for the Canada match,' midfielder Karim Boudiaf said ahead of the game.'We fully understand the importance of this match for us and know it will be an important stage in our tournament journey. We know very well that the match will not be easy at all. The Canada team has quality players and will be playing on their home soil and in front of their fans, which gives them extra motivation. But we also have great ambition and determination to deliver our best and achieve a positive result.”Qatar know they will have to absorb pressure against a Canada side playing on home soil, but their disciplined performance against Switzerland offers encouragement.'We will enter the match with high focus and high morale. The players have a great desire to continue working with the same seriousness and discipline, and our goal is clear: to return with a positive result that gives us confidence for the remainder of the tournament,' the 35-year-old Boudiaf, who plays for Al Duhail in the Qatar Stars League, said.With a squad drawn largely from their domestic league, Qatar have developed a cohesive unit that has proved formidable in Asia. Compact defending, quick transitions and moments of inspiration from Akram Afif and Almoez Ali are again expected to be central to their approach. They may not dominate possession, but they have shown they can stay organised and find a way back into matches.Qatar's all-time leading scorer Almoez Ali, who did not feature against Switzerland, expects another stern examination against Canada.'Canada are a very strong team with outstanding players. They will also be playing in front of their own fans, which gives them an advantage. We have studied them closely, understand their strengths, and the coaching staff are preparing us accordingly,” he said.Canada, meanwhile, will be under pressure to make home advantage count after needing Cyle Larin’s late equaliser to avoid defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The hosts have pace and physicality but Qatar will look to frustrate them by slowing the tempo and punishing any spaces left behind.Canada captain Davies unlikely for Qatar matchFor Canada, anything less than a win may feel like a missed opportunity. The status of their captain Alphonso Davies remains shrouded in secrecy, with the team remaining tight-lipped about his recovery from a hamstring injury.Davies took the field with his teammates in Tuesday’s training at the National Soccer Development Centre and took a full part in the 15 minutes of the workout that were open to media, but team officials kept their cards close to their chest about his fitness.After being told on Monday that Davies was in a return-to-play protocol, reporters gathered pitch-side were informed that defender Alfie Jones would not take part in training due to 'personal recovery' with no further information offered on Davies, and none forthcoming when journalists asked.Davies became Canada's youngest senior men's international when he made his debut aged 16 against Curacao in June 2017, and since then he has scored 15 goals in 58 games for Canada, including the country's first goal at a World Cup during the 2022 tournament in Qatar.However, he has not played for the national team since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during the CONCACAF Nations League Finals in March 2025, and he has been hampered by recurring hamstring problems since his return.'Mentally, it was very draining, suffering these injuries,' Davies said last week. 'I was going into a hole where I was doubting myself, but I had that time off (during the injuries) and I thought about why I'm doing this, and how important this is to me.'Key statsCanada have won their last four matches played in Vancouver, scoring 17 goals and conceding only two. The last team to beat them in the British Columbia city were Mexico in a March 2016 World Cup qualifier (3-0). Qatar ranked bottom of sides in Group B for shots (6), average possession (32%), forward passes (118), touches in the opposition box (8) and successful final-third passes (24) on the opening round of matches. Qatar had 32% possession, eight touches in the opposition box to Switzerland’s 42, and allowed 3.2 expected goals. And yet they managed to escape with a draw thanks to an own goal from Miro Muheim in the fourth minute of added time. This will be Canada and Qatar’s first meeting at a World Cup. Their only previous encounter ever came in a September 2022 friendly in Vienna – Canada won 2-0 through goals from Larin and Jonathan David.
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