Hosts Canada Held to a Draw by Bosnia
IIE DIGITAL DESK ; June 13: Hosts Canada earned their first-ever point in FIFA World Cup history after their opening Group B match ended in a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on Friday night.
Canada entered the contest as the stronger side on paper, sitting 31st in the FIFA rankings, while Bosnia and Herzegovina were placed 61st. The home team dominated possession and created more attacking opportunities throughout the match, but failed to convert their superiority into a victory.
Bosnia took a surprise lead through Jovo Lukic, who scored his first-ever international goal for his country. The striker had made his debut for the national team in a friendly against the United States in 2021 but did not receive another opportunity for nearly four and a half years. After a long wait, he fought his way back into the squad and made a remarkable impact by finding the net in his very first FIFA World Cup appearance.
Bosnia and Herzegovina could not hold on to their advantage. Despite several impressive attacking moves in the second half, Canada struggled to break through until substitute Kyle Larin came to the rescue, scoring the much-needed equaliser and securing a valuable point for the hosts.
Canada controlled 60 percent of possession during the match and attempted 13 shots, with four of them on target. In comparison, Bosnia managed eight shots, three of which tested the Canadian goalkeeper.
Canada had appeared in the FIFA World Cup only twice — in 1986 and 2022. On both occasions, they suffered defeats in all three group-stage matches and exited the tournament without earning a single point. The draw against Bosnia therefore marked a historic moment for the Canadian side, as they finally ended their World Cup losing streak and opened their account on football’s biggest stage.
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