Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina: Larin Rescues Co-Hosts in World Cup Group B Opener

• Substitute Cyle Larin scored two minutes after coming on to earn Canada a 1-1 draw and their first-ever World Cup point.
• Jovo Lukic headed Bosnia and Herzegovina in front on his fourth international appearance, scoring his first goal for his country.
• Canada played without Alphonso Davies due to a hamstring injury, with Stephen Eustaquio wearing the captain’s armband.

Larin Comes Off the Bench to End Canada’s Six-Match World Cup Losing Streak

Co-hosts Canada came from behind to draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium, substitute Cyle Larin’s 78th-minute equalizer securing Les Rouges their first point in World Cup history and ending a six-match losing run in the tournament that stretched back to 1986.

The opening match of Canada’s home World Cup was preceded by performances from Michael Buble and Alanis Morissette, and a crowd that included hockey star Connor McDavid and actor Ryan Reynolds filled Toronto Stadium with chants of “Ca-na-da!” throughout the afternoon. But it was Bosnia and Herzegovina, a nation of roughly 3 million people making only their second World Cup appearance, who drew first blood.

Bosnian coach Sergej Barbarez had promised a motivational speech before kickoff and his players delivered on the front foot. Amar Memic sent an early chance over the bar, and the Dragons quickly established a threat from set pieces. Ivan Basic swung in a corner in the 21st minute, captain Sead Kolasinac flicked the header on, and Jovo Lukic nodded home at the back post. It was Lukic’s first international goal, arriving on just his fourth cap. The 27-year-old striker was starting in place of the injured Edin Dzeko (shoulder) and Haris Tabakovic (undisclosed).

Canada responded with energy but could not find the finishing touch. Jonathan David saw a low shot saved comfortably by Nikola Vasilj after the ball broke kindly for him, and Tani Oluwaseyi blazed over from a promising position despite having time and space in the box.

The second half was a different story. Oluwaseyi opened proceedings with a sharp Cruyff turn and came close with a header that Nikola Katic blocked. Canada’s pressure intensified when Eustaquio played in Richie Laryea, but Kolasinac somehow cleared the goal-bound shot off the line. The ball deflected off his foot and struck the crossbar. At the other end, goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau had to save at the feet of Ermedin Demirovic to keep the deficit at one.

Jesse Marsch made a series of substitutions to push for the equalizer, and it was the 76th-minute introduction of Larin that changed the match. The striker had been on the pitch for two minutes when Promise David slipped him the ball inside the area. Larin turned sharply and fired home to send Toronto Stadium into delirium. The goal was only the second in World Cup history for Canada, after Alphonso Davies scored against Croatia in Qatar four years earlier. Larin nearly won it in stoppage time but was denied by Tarik Muharemovic.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, who eliminated four-time champions Italy in the European playoffs to qualify, will feel they let a chance slip but can take heart from a disciplined defensive display for long stretches. Canada now shift to Vancouver for their final two group games, against Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24. Bosnia head west as well, facing Switzerland on June 18 in Los Angeles and Qatar on June 24 in Seattle.

Larin spoke about the moment after the match.

“It was special for me. I was ready to come and help the team. I thought the goals would come. I score when Canada needs me, and always have done. I want to play every game. I’ve been working hard every game with my club to play every game, but sometimes you don’t have control [over that]. We just have to stay concentrated. We’ll be playing at home and just have to push the limit,” Larin said.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch was frustrated by a slow start but encouraged by the response.

“We felt like we had them. We were starting to push the game, the subs came on to change the game. I told them, ‘We’ve got them, now it’s time to push your foot on the jugular.’ I’m disappointed with the first half. We didn’t play aggressive. We talked about it afterwards and the second half, the moment we stepped on the pitch, was different… but we have to make sure we learn from today. We’ll keep pushing,” Marsch said.

WRITTEN BY

Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the Founder of Futbol Chronicle and an accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every match report, player profile, and tactical analysis he writes.

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