TORONTO, June 12 – Canada’s World Cup campaign got off to a dramatic start as substitute Cyle Larin rescued the co-hosts with a late equalizer in a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their Group B opener.
The match marked Canada’s inaugural men’s World Cup fixture on home turf, with the hosts controlling much of the possession and generating numerous scoring opportunities throughout the contest.
Bosnia struck first blood when Jovo Lukic found the net in the 21st minute, putting the World Cup co-hosts in a difficult position that would require a comeback effort.
Larin, who had watched from the sidelines for 76 minutes after coach Jesse Marsch opted not to include him in the starting eleven, made an immediate impact upon entering the match. The Southampton forward needed fewer than three minutes to make his mark, converting with a skillful turn and finish.
“I mean, I want to play every game and I’ve been working all those seasons in my club to play every game but sometimes you don’t have control, but I have to show when I go in the game, and I showed today I should be playing,” he told Canadian TV.
While Canada found success moving the ball through wide areas and into the penalty box, their offensive efforts lacked a commanding presence up front, allowing the Bosnia defense to handle most attacks without significant difficulty.
The dynamic shifted when the 31-year-old Larin entered the fray, bringing the poise and leadership that Canada’s brave performance had been missing. His goal positions the team favorably heading into their upcoming match against Qatar in Vancouver on June 18.
“I think we just have to stay concentrated at all moments, and that’s the World Cup,” Larin said. “I think we gave away a set-piece goal, and we just (need to) build off this game.
“We’ll be playing home again in Vancouver, and we’ve just got to push the limit and be killers around the ball.”
Defender Alistair Johnston credited the passionate home supporters with helping fuel Canada’s second-half resurgence, despite the team appearing to struggle under the weight of expectations for much of the contest.
“It felt like they probably pulled that ball into the net for us … we’re going to need to continue to build on that. We’re going to need this crowd with us,” he told Canadian TV.
