Canadian coach Jesse Marsch said he was pleased with the way his team responded to salvage a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup opener in Group B on Friday, marking the country’s first ever point in the tournament.
A goal from Bosnia’s Jovo Lukic in the 21st minute did not deter Canada, whose persistent pressure in the second half finally paid off when substitute Cyle Larin found the net in the 78th minute, shortly after coming off the bench.
“I told them after the game that if we play like that second half, the whole game, we will win,” Marsch said.
“I told them we have to learn these lessons, and we have to learn them quickly,” he said. “We still have control over everything, that is a very important point for us.”
It seems fitting that Canada’s first World Cup goal on home soil came from 31-year-old Larin, who is second on the all-time list of top scorers behind Jonathan David.
“Kyle wasn’t happy about not starting,” Marsch said of the striker who has scored eight goals for Southampton in the Championship this season.
“But I said to him, ‘Look, you’ve had a great year at Southampton, whether you’ve started or come off the bench, you’ve had an impact in every game, and now you have to take that into account.’ And he did.”
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Marsch said his players increased the pace in the second half as they produced more promising attacks in their hunt for an equalizer.
“We could see that Bosnia was fading,” Marsch said, adding that he knew his side’s youth, fitness and speed had the potential to weaken Bosnia. “So I told them we got them now.
It seems fitting that Canada’s first World Cup goal on home soil came from 31-year-old Larin, who is second on the all-time list of top scorers behind Jonathan David. | Photo credit: AFP
It seems fitting that Canada’s first World Cup goal on home soil came from 31-year-old Larin, who is second on the all-time list of top scorers behind Jonathan David. | Photo credit: AFP
“It’s time to put your foot on the jugular and go for the goal.”
MARCH UNHAPPY WITH THE FIRST HALF OF CANADA
Canada had decent possession in the first half after falling behind, but the coach said he was unhappy with his team’s performance in the opening 45 minutes.
«I’m disappointed with the first half,» Marsch said. «I just felt like we were hesitant. We didn’t play as aggressively as I would have liked.»
At the insistence of the home crowd, Canada kept its foot on the pedal and created chances until Larin finally grabbed the equalizer from the bench. Canada finished the match with thirteen shots, four of which were on target.
Although Marsch noted that his second-half substitutions made a difference, he would like his team to show the same level from kick-off for the next match against Qatar on June 18.
“I had to figure out how to get a little more out of some of the starters and make sure we put in a better performance from the start,” Marsch said.
Published on June 13, 2026
