Canada vs. Qatar live: Teams kick off critical World Cup match at B.C. Place Vancouver

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I may not be inside B.C. Place, but I could feel  that rendition of the national anthem.

Vancouver has shown up and delivered. Now it's time to will the men in red on the pitch!

Just an incredible, emotional, moving moment hearing over 50,000 people belt out O Canada. B.C. Place's roof is closed but that figuratively blew it off.

And now Christine Sincliar is on the field delivering the coin for the flip!

We're getting ready for the Canada-Qatar starting ceremony as the players walk out onto the pitch. Just as Team Canada hoped, it is a sea of red in the stands — minus the two lower bowl corner sections of Qatar supporters in white. Fans are now chanting "CA-NA-DA!" Electric atmosphere!

Canada vs. Qatar will be the second of seven World Cup matches played at B.C. Place Vancouver; Australia beat Turkey 2-0 here earlier this week.

But these are not the first World Cup matches the city has hosted. The stadium was the venue for nine games of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

They included both of Canada's knockout round matches — a 1-0 win against Switzerland and a 2-1 loss to England — and the final, which the U.S. Won 5-2 over Japan.

Canada warmed up in small groups to start, before taking turns shooting on the three goalkeepers. Sporting bright yellow shorts and socks, starting keeper Maxime Crépeau — who's no stranger to B.C. Place from his time with the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps — leaves the field first. The rest of the team follows to a standing ovation.

Players can be suspended in the World Cup group stage if they accumulate two yellow cards across separate matches. 

That means defenders Luc de Fougerolles and Alistair Johnston are at risk of missing Canada's match against Switzerland if they're yellow-carded today. They both picked up yellows during last week's match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Fortunately for Canadians, this is the first World Cup where yellow cards do not carry over from the group stage. That means if De Fougerolles and Johnston get carded in the Round of 32 or Round of 16, they will not be suspended for the next knockout game if Canada qualifies for it.

That said, they could be suspended for the Round of 32 if they get carded while playing against the Swiss. Although all yellow cards will reset after the group stage, if a player collects two yellows before that reset, they will still be suspended for the next game.

Yellow cards will also be reset after the quarterfinals. 

On the Qatari side, goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada and Jassem Gaber are the two players who could be suspended for matchday three.

I'm reporting from the FIFA Fan Fest in Toronto where the opening was delayed after heavy rain this morning.  

There have been a few weather disruptions since Fan Fest began last week. Some fans tell me they are frustrated but still trying to remain positive and support their teams. 

The grounds are now starting to fill up with lots of Canada jerseys in the mix ahead of today's match.

Thunderous roar as the Canadian team runs onto the B.C. Place field for warmup, with game time less than one hour away. 

The stadium is still 90 per cent empty but fans are psyched. The Qatari team is met by boos as they run out, but gets some love from the two supporter sections of fans who are now on their feet madly waving Qatar flags.

Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui has gone with the same starting 11 that drew with Switzerland.

Mahmud Abunada retains his position in goal after an inspired performance against the Swiss. He's supported by a defensive four of Pedro Miguel, Ayoub Al-Oui, Homam Ahmed and captain Boualem Khoukhi.

Jassem Gaber, Assim Madibo and Issa Laye make up the midfield three. 

Edmilson Junior, Yusuf Abdurisag and superstar Akram Afif retain their positions in attack, with Almoez Ali once again starting on the bench. 

In Group B's other match today, Switzerland beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1 after a late flurry of goals in Los Angeles. 

The Swiss now go top of the group with four points and a goal differential of plus-three. That means Canada needs to win by four goals today to leapfrog them. 

Canada hosts Switzerland in Vancouver in their final group game on June 24. 

If the Canadians top the group, they will play their Round of 32 game in Vancouver — and could play a Round of 16 game in the city, too, if they progress. 

But if Canada qualifies as a second- or third-place team, it will play its knockout games in the United States, losing its home advantage.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemović was shown a red card late in today's game against Switzerland, meaning he's suspended and will miss his side's final group game against Qatar. 

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