Toronto Stadium officially opened Group B. Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina met for the first time in history. Jovo Lukić and Cyle Larin were the authors of the goals of the match. Canada is still unable to win its first game in a soccer World Cup.

Canada’s starting eleven: Maxime Crépeau; Alistair Johnston, Luc de Fougerolles, Derek Cornelius, Richie Laryea; Tajon Buchanan, Ismaël Koné, Stephen Eustáquio, Liam Millar; Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi.

Once initial de Bosnia and Herzegovina: Nikola Vasilj; Amar Dedić, Nikola Katic, Tarik Muharemović, Sead Kolašinac; Esmir Bajraktarević, Ivan Bašić, Benjamin Tahirović, Amar Memic; Jovo Lukić and Ermedin Demirović.

In the first minutes of the match there was little ball handling. Canadians and Bosnians skipped the middle of the field and threw long balls so that the forwards could fight with the rival defense. Both teams gave up taking risks with their departures.

As the minutes progressed, Canada settled into the game. Jesse Marsh's team took advantage of the advances on the flanks with Tani Oluwaseyi, Tajon Buchanan and Liam Millar. The Canadians looked for crosses regularly and many of them made it difficult for the Bosnian centre-backs.

However, Bosnia and Herzegovina showed its resources. The European team took advantage of their height and, with two headers inside the area, scored the first goal of the game. Captain Sead Kolašinac assisted Jovo Lukić inside the area who only had to push the ball. The size and the set pieces gave Bosnia the first goal in this World Cup.

The definition was Canada's biggest sin in the first half. The Concacaf team, due to individual skills, managed to place themselves in favorable positions for a shot on goal. But on several occasions they wasted opportunities. One of the clearest was Tani Oluwaseyi.

In the final minutes Bosnia and Herzegovina made the game much thicker. The European team constantly cut off the Canadian offensives. The Bosnians committed twice as many fouls as their rivals (8) and put the local advances to sleep.

Second half

As happened in the first half, long balls reigned in the first minutes. Canada, due to the needs of the match, took the field with much more intensity and much higher pressure. This complicated Bosnia and Herzegovina in the opening minutes of the match.

But Canada also built good plays. While weaving a new advance on the edge of the area, a ball leaked to Richie Laryea generated a lot of danger on the goal of the Bosnia and Herzegovina team. When goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj was already surpassed, a saving clearance by Sead Kolašinac appeared. The former Arsenal player contributed a goal in the match and prevented another from his rivals. Great afternoon for the captain.

Jesse Marsch began to move the bench in the 60th minute. The Canadian coach made three offensive changes trying to find the tie. But Marsch made substitutions by position. Jacob Shaffelburg, Promise David and Ali Ahmed entered.

Canada insisted much more with its overflows. The inclusion of Jacob Shaffelburg called for this game. Despite the aerial power of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Concacaf team looked for crosses very frequently that bothered the defense of the European team.

Cyle Larin entered the 75th minute. The Feyenoord forward proposed something different for Canada at the end of the match. The Canadian team began to play inside because they had a striker to whom they could pass the ball. In the 78th minute of the match, Larin received a ball with his back to the goal, turned and scored the tie of the match.

Canada continued to look for the match, but Bosnia and Herzegovina was giving up more and more on the attack. The European team scored the tie in their debut in this World Cup. Jesse Marsch and his team had to settle for equality.

In this way, Canada's first victory in a World Cup continues to be brushed aside. In the 1986 World Cup, the Canadians lost all three of their games. The same thing happened in Qatar 2022. In the 2026 edition, the Concacaf team at least got its first point in a World Cup.

Detailed data from the duel between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina