Canada and Qatar chase breakthrough win in Vancouver
Canada and Qatar meet in Vancouver on Thursday with both sides looking for a first victory of their World Cup campaign after opening Group B with draws.
All four teams in the group are level on one point following the first round of fixtures, leaving the section finely poised heading into matchday two.
Co-hosts Canada were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto despite entering the tournament with growing expectations.
Jesse Marsch's side struggled to find their rhythm for long periods and fell behind before Cyle Larin came off the bench to rescue a point with 12 minutes remaining.
The Canadians will hope for a more complete performance in front of a home crowd at BC Place, where victory would put them in a strong position ahead of their final group match against Switzerland.
Much of the attention remains on captain Alphonso Davies, who missed the opening game through injury. The Bayern Munich star has returned to training and could provide a significant boost if deemed fit to feature.
Canada will also continue to rely on the attacking quality of Jonathan David and Larin, whose partnership remains central to the team's hopes of reaching the knockout stages on home soil.
Qatar, meanwhile, earned a valuable point against Switzerland in their opening fixture, snatching a dramatic 1-1 draw with a stoppage-time equaliser.
The 2022 World Cup hosts spent much of the contest under pressure but refused to buckle, with goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada producing a series of important saves to keep his side in the game.
Julen Lopetegui's team arrived at the tournament on a difficult run of results and remain without a victory in their last seven matches, but the point against Switzerland offered encouragement that they can compete in a tightly contested group.
There is little separating the four teams in Group B after the opening round of matches, making Thursday's encounter one of growing significance.
A win for either side would move them closer to the knockout rounds and potentially leave qualification within reach heading into the final group-stage fixtures.
Canada predicted lineup:
Crepeau; Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Eustaquio, Kone, Millar; David, Larin
Qatar predicted lineup:
Abunada; Al-Oui, Miguel, Khoukhi, H. Ahmed; Gaber, Laye; Junior, Madibo, Afif; Ali
