Canada’s Cyle Larin celebrates scoring their first aim with teammates as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic appears dejected at FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B, Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina sport in Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada on June 12, 2026. — Reuters/File
For lengthy spells of Canada’s World Cup Group B opener in opposition to Bosnia and Herzegovina it regarded just like the co-hosts would come up quick however striker Cyle Larin got here off the bench and calmed their nerves with an equaliser that secured an excellent first level.
Enjoying within the nation’s first males’s World Cup sport on residence soil, the Canadians loved the lion’s share of possession and created loads of possibilities.
Nevertheless, a sucker-punch aim from Jovo Lukic for the Bosnians within the twenty first minute left the World Cup co-hosts in a deep gap and it fell to Larin to pull them out of it.
After spending 76 minutes stewing on the bench after being ignored of Jesse Marsch’s beginning lineup, Southampton striker Larin had some extent to show and scored lower than three minutes after approaching with a wonderful flip and shot.
“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 instructed Canadian TV.
Canada loved loads of success attacking down the wings and dealing the ball into the field, however their assault lacked a dominant focus and the Bosnia defence was capable of cope with most of what was thrown at them with relative ease.
That modified when 31-year-old Larin got here on to inject much-needed composure and management right into a brave Canadian show, netting a aim that places them in a superb place forward of their subsequent sport in opposition to Qatar in Vancouver on June 18.
“I think we just have to stay concentrated at all moments, and that’s the World Cup,” Larin mentioned. “I think we gave away a set-piece goal, and we just (need to) build off this game.
“We’ll be taking part in residence once more in Vancouver, and we have simply bought to push the restrict and be killers across the ball.”
Despite appearing under pressure from the expectant home fans for most of the game, defender Alistair Johnston said they proved a key factor in the Canadian comeback.
“It felt like they most likely pulled that ball into the online for us … we will have to proceed to construct on that. We’ll want this crowd with us,” he instructed Canadian TV.
