TORONTO, June 12 (Reuters) – For long spells of Canada’s World Cup Group B opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina it looked like the co-hosts would come up short but striker Cyle Larin came off the bench and calmed their nerves with an equaliser that secured a glorious first point.
Playing in the country’s first men’s World Cup game on home soil, the Canadians enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and created plenty of chances.
However, a sucker-punch goal from Jovo Lukic for the Bosnians in the 21st minute left the World Cup co-hosts in a deep hole and it fell to Larin to drag them out of it.
After spending 76 minutes stewing on the bench after being left out of Jesse Marsch’s starting lineup, Southampton striker Larin had a point to prove and scored less than three minutes after coming on with an excellent turn 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 told Canadian TV.
Canada enjoyed plenty of success attacking down the wings and working the ball into the box, but their attack lacked a dominant focal point and the Bosnia defence was able to deal with most of what was thrown at them with relative ease.
That changed when 31-year-old Larin came on to inject much-needed composure and control into a courageous Canadian display, netting a goal that puts them in a good position ahead of their next game 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.”
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 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.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor, Editing by Ken Ferris)
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