Cyle Larin saves Canada as Bosnia denies co-hosts dream start to 2026 World Cup

For most of the night, Canada looked like a team trying to force open a locked door with a battering ram. Chance after chance came, Bosnia and Herzegovina refused to back down and frustration slowly spread around BMO Field. Then Cyle Larin came off the bench, found one crack in the wall and smashed right through it.

The Canadian striker came on in the 76th minute and needed less than three minutes to save his team when he scored the decisive equalizer as the World Cup co-hosts battled to a 1-1 draw in their opening Group B match on Friday. It was the least Canada deserved after dominating large stretches of the match, although Bosnia left Toronto knowing they had run out within minutes of a famous victory.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: HIGHLIGHTS

Canada fought back from a 1-0 deficit to draw 1-1 with Bosnia. (Photo by Reuters)

Canada started brightly and looked determined to feed off the energy of a packed home crowd. But the early momentum faded as Bosnia reminded everyone that the World Cup is rarely won on the back of good cheer.

The guests struck in the 21st minute from a corner. Ivan Basic delivered a teasing ball into the box, Sead Kolasinac flicked it across goal and Jovo Lukic was quickest to react to guide the home side to the first international goal of his career from close range.

The goal changed the rhythm of the match. Bosnia were content to sit deeper, defend their box and challenge Canada to break them down. The home side enjoyed possession and territory, but clear-cut opportunities were harder to come by as the visitors packed bodies behind the ball.

By halftime, Canada had plenty of the football, but Bosnia led.

HOW TO RETURN LARIN SPARK CANADA?

The second half quickly turned into a siege.

Canada pushed higher, attacked with more urgency and started to create chances that had been lacking until the break. Their best chance came in the 53rd minute when Stephen Eustaquio slipped in Richie Laryea’s goal.

Laryea beat goalkeeper Nikola Vasilje and it looked like she was going to score. Kolasinac somehow recovered to hang his effort on the crossbar before scrambling into the path. It was the kind of strike that defenders dream of and forwards have nightmares about.

Bosnia almost doubled their advantage moments later when Ermedin Demirovic broke free, only for Maxime Crepeau to race off his line to produce a crucial save.

As the clock ticked down, the game seemed headed for a frustrating Canadian defeat.

Then Jesse Marsch turned to his bench.

Lara’s impact was immediate. Promise David flicked a smart pass into the striker’s path and Canada’s all-time leading scorer did the rest. He created space with one quick turn before firing a low strike into the bottom corner in the 78th minute.

After spending most of the night chasing the game, Canada finally got their reward.

Larin almost completed the conversion in stoppage time, but Tarik Muharemovic pounced in front of the effort to preserve Bosnia’s point.

WHY CANADA CAN LEAVE WITH OPTIMISM

There are no bonus points for dominating a soccer match. Canada knows this.

Still, there was plenty of evidence Friday night to suggest this team can make a serious push for the knockout rounds.

Without injured captain Alphonso Davies, the hosts still managed to control large parts of the game and repeatedly pushed Bosnia in their own half. They finished with more chances, more attacking effort and deserved more than a draw.

Perhaps most importantly, they have shown resilience.

Falling behind in the opening game of a home World Cup can quickly become overwhelming. Instead, Canada kept pushing, believing in their football and eventually finding a way back.

Bosnia, making their first World Cup appearance since 2014, showed why they remain such a troublesome opponent. Organized, physical and dangerous from set pieces, they spent most of the evening under pressure but rarely panicked.

In the end, both sides walked away with a point.

Bosnia will be happy about them. Canada may feel it has left two behind.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

13 Jun 2026 03:17 IST