A point in hand, Canada’s next goal is first FIFA World Cup victory

Bosnia hushed the partisan crowd in the 21st minute when Jovo Lukic opened the scoring by flicking a header past goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau off a corner kick.

The 64th-ranked visitors were taller, feisty and not intimidated by the big stage. Canada seemed to fight some early nerves in the first half as the 43,002 spectators hung on every play.

The tournament co-hosts had some great chances but the ball movement was disjointed at times. An offence that has struggled to find its form could not take advantage of its opportunities.

It’s a storyline that will only be vanquished once Canada starts putting balls in the net.

Qatar struggled mightily as the host side in 2022 but rebounded a year later by winning the Asian Cup. The team surprised favoured Switzerland on Saturday with a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw in Santa Clara, Calif., creating a four-way tie in Group B.

The Canadians, now with one draw and six losses on their all-time World Cup record, will try to feed off a crowd of over 52,000 at B.C. Place.

Defender Alistair Johnston felt his side has done well handling the emotions that come with this tournament.

“We did a great job of keeping everything really normal, which I’m happy with,” he said. “That’s probably one of the most difficult parts about having a home World Cup. There’s so much going on — tickets, fans, everything. But I do think that we did a great job and we’re going to continue to build on (it).

“But that support, if we can keep having that, it’s going to be a pretty special group stage here. I do really fancy our chances to pick up the points required to get out of the group.”

Team speed picked up significantly in the second half of the opener, helped in part by coach Jesse Marsch’s decision to make several substitutions. Larin came on just two minutes before his goal.

Star left back Alphonso Davies was missed as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. A return to play in Vancouver, a city he knows well from his time with Major League Soccer’s Whitecaps, would take the energy to an even higher level.

Marsch will have other big lineup decisions to make as well.

Jonathan David is the team’s all-time leading scorer but he came off in the 61st minute for substitute Promise David after a choppy first half.

“We’ll need him in this tournament to be at his best and find a way to use this experience to be better for the next one,” Marsch said. “Because without him in top form, we’re not the same team that we have the potential to be.”

Tani Oluwaseyi joined David up top in the starting 11 before coming off for Larin in the 76th minute.

Canada was held without a goal over three losses in its World Cup debut in 1986. Davies scored the country’s first goal at this tournament four years ago in Qatar but the team again went 0-3.

A victory would be historic for the Canadian side and provide some valuable momentum for the group-stage finale.

If Canada finishes first in its pool, it would remain in Vancouver for a Round-of-32 matchup on July 2.

With files from Canadian Press sports reporter Joshua Clipperton.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

A point in hand, Canada’s next goal is first FIFA World Cup victory

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