Official lineups
Qatar: Abunada - Pedro Miguel ; Laye ; Garber ; Aloui ; Ahmed ; Khoukhi - Madibo - Junior ; Afif ; Abdurisag.
Canada: Crepeau - Johnston ; De Fougerolles ; Cornelius ; Laryea - Eustaquio (cap.) ; Koné - Larin ; David ; Buchanan ; Ahmed.
Co-host nation Canada has long harboured World Cup ambitions but never truly delivered on the international stage, arriving as underdogs in a fiercely competitive Group B. The Concacaf representatives opened their tournament campaign with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina, squandering multiple clear-cut chances that should have yielded victory. Jesse Marsch's side now face Qatar, seeking the redemption their first-half performance against the Dragons deserved.
Qatar, fresh from their 2022 World Cup appearance and still building momentum as a rising force in Asian football, showed in their Group B opener against Switzerland that they possess the resilience to stay in matches until the final whistle.
A dramatic late equaliser against the Swiss proved they are no pushover, despite being overlooked by many observers. With both nations on one point, Wednesday's clash represents a genuine opportunity for either side to seize control of Group B's unpredictable narrative.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)