Canada battles to World Cup draw in thriller vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – USA Today

TORONTO — Both Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina entered Friday’s match seeking their respective first World Cup victories.
Both sides will have to wait a few more days, at least.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada tied 1-1 in a thrilling and fitting draw in the first World Cup match played on Canadian soil.
Canada had a litany of chances throughout the game but couldn’t capitalize until its equalizer in the 78th minute thanks to Cyle Larin, who came on as a substitute 121 seconds prior to finding the back of the net.
Ismaël Koné drove hard to the top of the box and found Promise David, who flicked the ball to Larin. All Larin had to do after establishing the physical advantage over his defender was turn and rocket one past  Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, which he did.
Bosnia scored first to put Canada and the home fans on their heels for most of the match when Jovo Lukic hammered home a header off a corner kick that was deflected. 
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TORONTO – Canada found its equalizer.
Approaching the last 10 minutes, Canada maintained possession on the left wing before Kone drove toward the center of the penalty area and laid off a pass for substitute Promise David. David found Cyle Larin, who had also just entered the match.
Larin turned with a wonderful first touch and used the outside of his right foot to smack home the tying goal.
Chasing a goal, Canada boss Jesse Marsch made a triple change with Jacob Schaffelburg, Ali Ahmed and Promise David are all entering here in the 61st minute.  Buchanan, David and Millar all came off for Canada.
Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Sead Kolasinac made a stunning-goal line clearance to deprive Canada’s Richie Laryea in the 53rd minute, ricocheting the ball off the crossbar and back into play.
Bosnia keeper Nikola Vasilj was down for a minute after he collided with Tani Oluwaseyi – having punched a bouncing ball away first – in a 1-on-1 situation on the edge of the penalty area.
TORONTO — It’s been an exciting, if sloppy, affair here through the first 45 minutes (plus an additional four minutes of stoppage time). Jonathan David wasted an early ideal chance to break a 0-0 tie and give the home team the upper hand. His squandering opened the door for Bosnia and Herzegovina to take a 1-0 lead shortly before the first hydration break.
Ivan Basic curled in a lovely ball and after a little flick on, Jovo Lukic overpowered the Canadian defense to square up the pass with a header that found the back of the net, which sent the Bosnian fan contingent behind the goal into a frenzy.
Lukic and Ermedin Demirovic picked up yellow cards toward the end of the first half.
Canada hasn’t been without its opportunities, but will need more from David and the attacking group as Bosnia figures to play defensive in the second half. 
TORONTO — Ermedin Demirovic picked up Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first yellow card of the tournament and teammate Jovo Lukic, who scored earlier, added another to the team’s tally only minutes later near the end of the first half.
Jovo Lukic scored the first-ever World Cup goal on Canadian soil via a corner kick from midfielder Ivan Basic to give Bosnia and Herzegovina a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute. It was first international goal for Lukic, silencing the crowd at BMO Field in Toronto right before the mandatory hydration break in the first half.
Bosnia, like Canada, is seeking a first World Cup win in the nation’s history and making only its second appearance in the tournament.
A bouncing ball fell nicely to Canada striker Jonathan David around the penalty spot in the 17th minute, but the Juventus man puts his shot straight at Bosnia goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
Canada defender Alistair Johnson earned the first booking of the match in the 11th minute for a hard slide tackle on Amar Memic, which Bosnia players thought might warrant a red card.
TORONTO — After an enthusiastic countdown for the crowd, two beautiful anthem performances (Alanis Morrisette sang “O Canada”) and other pregame pageantry, the football has begun. Canada picked up a corner attempt in the first minute. 
TORONTO – Both sides received massive pops from the crowd as they took the field for warmups less than an hour before kickoff.
First, Bosnia and Herzegovina supporters greeted the goalkeepers with a thunderous welcome on their side of the pitch. But Canada dispelled any worry that this might be an “away” crowd based on their reaction to the 26-man squad running out onto the field a few minutes later. 
The Group B matchup kicks off at 3 p.m. ET from Toronto.
Canada: Maxime Crepeau, Alistair Johnston, Luc De Fougerolles, Derek Cornelius, Richie Laryea; Stephen Eustaquio, Ismael Kone, Liam Millar; Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David, Tani Oluwaseyi.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Nikola Vasilj, Tarik Muharemovic, Sead Kolasinac, Benjamin Tahirovic, Amar Dedic, Ermedin Demirovic, Ivan Basic, Amar Memic, Nikola Katic, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Jovo Lukic.
TORONTO – The vibes are high on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Fans supporting host Canada and opponent Bosnia and Herzegovina swarmed from all over the city toward BMO Field during a rather pleasant afternoon north of the border. A cultural exhibition started 90 minutes before kickoff and fans were encouraged to be in their seats at 1:30 p.m. local time for a 3 p.m. kickoff.
The giveaway of the tournament might be the maple-leaf clackers organizers are handing out as spectators enter the stadium. It’s no vuvuzela, but they certainly have the potential to become the nuisance – or edge – the home team relies upon. 
– Chris Bumbaca
Seth Vertelney: Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina. Canada will be bolstered by a raucous home crowd in Toronto, but the team has plenty of injury concerns and a tough Bosnia side should be able to snag a point.
Jon Arnold: Canada 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are missing pieces for Canada, but don’t let that distract from the present pieces, who are very capable.
Jesse Yomtov: Canada 1 – 2 Bosnia and Herzegovina. 40-year-old Edin Dzeko will score to help deprive Canada of its first-ever win at a World Cup.
Victoria Hernandez: Canada 1 – 0 Bosnia and Herzegovina. The game isn’t exactly going to match the excitement of the opening ceremonies, but Canada will have enough juice to finally get their first World Cup win.
Friday’s Canada-Bosnia match will air on Fox and can be streamed with Fubo.
Goalkeepers: Dayne St. Clair (Inter Miami), Maxime Crépeau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Crystal Palace)
Defenders: Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Derek Cornelius (Marseille), Richie Laryea (Toronto FC), Niko Sigur (Hadjuk Split), Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire), Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham), Moise Bombito (OGC Nice), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough)
Midfielders: Stephen Eustaquio (LAFC), Ismael Kone (Sassuolo), Tajon Buchanan (VIllarreal), Mathieu Choinière (LAFC), Ali Ahmed (Norwich City), Nathan Saliba (Anderlecht), Jacob Shaffelburg (LAFC), Liam Millar (Hull City), Jayden Nelson (Austin FC), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC)
Forwards: Jonathan David (Juventus), Cyle Larin (Southampton), Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal), Promise David (Union Saint-Gilloise)
Canadian striker Jonathan David has 39 international goals in 77 career appearances and was on the team’s roster at te 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The 26-year-old joined Juventus for the 2025-26 season and scored eight goals in 46 appearances in all competitions, struggling in his first year in Serie A.
Canada hosts the second of the 2026 World Cup’s three opening ceremonies before the team’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, with a star-studded cast on hand to celebrate the nation’s first World Cup match.
Alanis Morissette is set to perform Canada’s national anthem, with Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, William Prince, Elyanna, DJ Sanjoy and Vegedream also participating in the event.
Authorities in Hong Kong have seized suspected counterfeit World Cup items including soccer jerseys and balls with an estimated value of nearly $20 million, officials said.
Wayne Chung, senior investigator at the city’s Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau, told reporters on Thursday that 230,000 items had been seized.
Chung said the jerseys seized had a close resemblance to genuine soccer shirts. “We noticed all of these clothes are set to be exported to other countries, not for local market. At least 80% of them head to America,” he said.
– Reuters
Argentina won the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar, defeating France on penalty kicks in one of the greatest matches in soccer history. It was the Argentines’ third world championship, and first for superstar Lionel Messi.
The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930, with the host nation winning the inaugural tournament.
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