Canada advances to 2nd round of World Cup qualifying after beating Suriname

Canada is one step closer to a berth at the 2022 World Cup.

The Canadians reached the second stage of CONCACAF qualifying on Tuesday, beating Suriname 4-0 to finish atop their opening-round group. The two teams went into the decisive contest tied on nine points; John Herdman's men needed just a draw to advance.

After both sides hit the woodwork amid a hectic opening to the match, Alphonso Davies broke the deadlock in the 37th minute. The 20-year-old was put through on goal by Jonathan David and made no mistake from inside the area, slotting the ball between the goalkeeper's legs.

The young stars' roles were reversed in the second stanza, as Davies twice played provider to set up David, who finished confidently in the 59th minute before grabbing his second tally of the night shortly after.

The Lille striker capped his hat-trick with a penalty in the 78th minute.

Canada, which hasn't featured at the men's World Cup since 1986, will now meet Haiti in the next qualifying round. The teams will partake in a two-legged affair, with the matches slated for June 12 and 15.

The winner of that doubleheader advances to the final stage of CONCACAF qualifying, which will see the continent's top-ranked nations - Mexico, the United States, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Honduras - enter the fray to create an eight-team group that is replacing the traditional hexagonal round.

After the eight participants have played one another home and away, the top three finishers will earn tickets to the World Cup. The fourth-place team, meanwhile, goes into an intercontinental playoff.