The Canadian Men’s National Team (CanMNT) finished the 1986 World Cup in Mexico with zero points. Four years ago in Qatar, they came away empty-handed again. On Friday afternoon at Toronto Stadium, the team earned their first-ever World Cup point with a 1–1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Despite thunderstorm concerns, the sun was shining over the temporarily expanded venue for the inauguration ceremony and the match. Many fans wore Bosnian blue, but the vast majority created what coach Jesse Marsch has called a “red out” — a home-field advantage that the CanMNT have not always been able to depend on in this multicultural metropolis.
Bosnia’s Joko Lukić opened the scoring, against the run of play, with a header off a corner kick in the 21st minute. The momentum, however, stayed with Les Rouges throughout the match. Cyle Larin, a Greater Toronto native, delivered the 78th-minute goal that came as a huge relief and released a pent-up roar from the crowd.
Canada stayed on the front foot and pushed unsuccessfully for a second goal until the final whistle. Now that they have cleared the hurdle of gaining a first point at the World Cup, they can enter their second match of the tournament with greater confidence.
Here are three takeaways.
1. Finishing Is Still the Achilles Heel
Canada’s first big chance of the match came in the 17th minute when a loose ball rolled to Jonathan David near the penalty spot. Although the ball was teed up perfectly for a historic moment, David’s strike with the inside of his left boot was weak and very close to goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, who comfortably made the save.
When Canada conceded a goal just four minutes later, it looked as though they might be in for a repeat of their World Cup opener at Qatar 2022, where they dominated the match but lost 1–0 due to a lack of finishing.
Cyle Larin started Canada’s two recent friendlies against Uzbekistan and Ireland, and the only surprise in Marsch’s starting lineup was Tani Oluwaseyi taking Larin’s spot up top, alongside Jonathan David. Oluwaseyi earned this spot with his outstanding movement, pressing, and passing as a substitute in those friendlies, though finishing remains the weakest part of his game.
In the 32nd minute, Oluwaseyi had the fans at Toronto Stadium on their feet by muscling his defender aside and spinning goalward next to a bouncing ball in Bosnia’s box. However, he failed to get over the ball with his strike and skied it — Canada’s second big miss of the match.
Ismaël Koné and Stephen Eustáquio outclassed the Bosnians in the middle of the park, and Canada’s third big miss started with a beautiful passing sequence in which these two midfielders got the ball to an open Richie Laryea as he drove to the top corner of Bosnia’s six-yard box. Laryea’s shot deflected off Vasilj’s ankle, allowing the backtracking Bosnian captain Kolašinac to desperately blast the ball off the crossbar and out.
Canada’s poor shooting was reflected in the shots-on-target statistic, the only basic stat that favoured Bosnia. The CanMNT put just 3 of their 13 shots on target; Bosnia, 4 of 8.
2. Larin Might Be the Answer
Cyle Larin has been at the centre of Canada’s scoring struggles. Until Friday, he had not bagged a goal for Canada since October 2024. But he is nevertheless the streaky finisher who could lead Canada in scoring at this tournament.
Larin’s hot streaks have often coincided with teams chasing unlikely achievements: Besiktas’s run to the domestic double in their 2020/21 campaign, Canada’s qualifying run for Qatar 2022, Valladolid’s relegation battle in 2023, and Southampton’s recent promotion push in England.
On Friday, on soccer’s grandest stage, Larin looked like a man on a mission again. In the 78th minute, a penetrating Koné dribble led to a small chip by Promise David to the top of Bosnia’s box. Larin, who had been on the pitch for only two minutes, spun while taking a touch off his thigh and volleyed in an enormously important goal. He celebrated by plugging his ears in an apparent response to his critics.
Larin’s last scoring streak for Canada came during the quest for Qatar. Now, after twenty goalless months in international soccer, he has raised hopes of a new scoring streak as his team chases the unlikely achievement of a deep World Cup run.
3. Other Subs Also Delivered
The CanMNT stepped up their level at the second-half kickoff, and then they stepped it up again with the insertion of three subs in the 61st minute: Ali Ahmed, Jacob Shaffelburg, and Promise David. Roster depth, the team’s previous weakness, proved to be a strength with the impact of these players. Bosnia bunkered deeper and deeper into a defensive shell as the game wore on.
Ali Ahmed missed Canada’s recent friendlies because of injury, and he showed why he has been an integral member of the team under Marsch. His unpredictable dribbles and passes added a much-needed spark to Canada’s offence. Although Liam Millar has shown flashes of brilliance, Ahmed has a very strong claim to join Tajon Buchanan in the team’s starting winger duo if he is fit to play 90 minutes.
As always, Shaffelburg’s speed down the left flank was a weapon. For the Bosnian defence, Promise David was an unsettling wrecking ball, and his biggest contribution was his assist on Larin’s goal. In the 90th minute, Jonathan Osorio of Toronto FC was Canada’s fifth and final sub. He showed his characteristic composure and astuteness while wrapping up the match in his home stadium.
What’s Next?
The CanMNT will face Qatar on June 18 at BC Place. Their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage depend heavily on getting their first-ever World Cup victory in this favourable matchup. Canada’s first milestone was the draw in Toronto. A win in Vancouver would be the second.