Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Larin Off the Bench to Earn the Co-Hosts' First World Cup Point

Canada earned their first point in World Cup history at BMO Field in Toronto on Friday, drawing 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Group B opener that saw Jovo Lukić's first-half header cancelled out by substitute Cyle Larin with just over ten minutes of normal time remaining.

The co-hosts were underdone in the opening period. Lukić met Ivan Bašić's corner with a glancing header in the 21st minute — Sead Kolašinac providing a flick to help it on its way — giving Bosnia a lead they barely deserved on the balance of chances. Jonathan David had Canada's best opportunity of the first half but fired straight at goalkeeper Ibrahim Šehić when clean through in the 17th minute, and Tajon Buchanan went similarly begging. Jesse Marsch's side came out with more authority after the interval but struggled to carve open a defence that was resolute if rarely tested.

The equaliser, when it came, owed everything to the freshness of a substitute. Larin had been on the pitch for barely two minutes when he received the ball on the edge of the box, turned his marker and drove low into the net in the 78th minute — sending BMO Field into noise it had been holding in reserve all night. Bosnia continued to threaten: Kolašinac and Nikola Katić both cleared off the line as the game opened up, and Larin himself had a late effort cleared on the line, but 1-1 was ultimately the right result for a match neither side dominated.

The historic footnote belongs to Canada: they had played six World Cup matches across 1986 and 2022 without a single draw or victory, making Friday the country's first competitive point in the tournament. Captain Alphonso Davies watched from the stands, still managing the hamstring injury sustained at Bayern Munich, and his absence was evident across 90 minutes in which Canada — who finished with 61% possession — created less than the ball retention suggested, according to ESPN and Sky Sports.

The group picture in Group B remains wide open. Switzerland and Qatar were yet to play their openers at kick-off in Toronto — they meet on Saturday in Santa Clara — and Canada travel to Vancouver to face Qatar on June 18. Bosnia's next assignment is Switzerland in Los Angeles on the same date. Both sides will know a point each is a platform, not a ceiling.

Sources: ESPN — Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Co-hosts earn first World Cup point · Sky Sports — Canada 1-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina: Cyle Larin rescues point for Jesse Marsch's co-hosts in Toronto