Canada got off to a good start in the World Cup – on the pitch and in the stands. More would have been possible in the 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Jesse Marsch’s team left us wanting more.
In the stands, Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds high-fived those sitting next to him. On the sidelines, coach Jesse Marsch pumped his fists in the air while his assistant coach Paul Stalteri hopped through the coaching zone like a wisp. And the Canadian players surrounded the goal scorer Cyle Larin in a cheering crowd. After the score was 1-1 eleven minutes before the end, the roof literally blew off in the Toronto Stadium.
At the World Cup debut on home soil, a lot went against the co-hosts. But the team and the over 40,000 fans never lost their faith. And the well-deserved compensation could carry the team around captain Stephen Eustaquio, who even have to do without Bayern star Alphonso Davies, through the tournament for even longer. It was a real chest lifter that showed that Canada can also play football.
Canada has been lagging behind for a long time…
However, the team had to stretch hard to get the important and historic first World Cup point. Jonathan David could have shot his team into the lead early on. After Jovo Lukic’s header (21′), the Canadians had to lag behind for a long time.
And this goal exposed a major weakness in the team that day. In the aerial duels, Marsch’s protégés were clearly inferior. Before the 0-1 score, two players, Tani Oluwaseyi and Tajon Buchanan, lost their duels.
I was disappointed after the first half. We didn’t play as intensely as I would have liked. But we persevered and earned the point.
Because their own offensive actions repeatedly lacked precision, possibly due to a certain level of stage fright, the many own corners and free kicks could have helped. But they fizzled out with almost no effect.
Danger only came once – but then it really happened, and on the “wrong” side. Derek Cornelius headed a flying ball straight into the path of Bosnian striker Ermedin Demirovic. He appeared free in front of Maxime Crepeau, but the keeper was able to clear at the last moment and thus prevent the score from being 0-2 (54′).
… and truly deserves the compensation
However, it is to the Canadians’ credit that they just kept going. Defensively they cleared everything and in the forward game they also showed their class again and again. They thrilled their compatriots in the stands.
Incredible: Sead Kolasinac shoots the ball onto the crossbar of his own goal and clears it.
Oluwaseyi, who was somewhat surprisingly included in the starting line-up, was an asset, but had no luck in finishing. The move that led to Richie Laryea’s chance would have deserved the equalizer. But the Bosnian captain Sead Kolasinac somehow got in the way, shot the ball onto the crossbar and thus prevented the equalizer (53′). A crazy scene – which continued when Nikola Katic headed the ball off the line 13 minutes later.
I told the team during the second drinking break that we have the opponent where we want them. We just have to score one more goal.
The equalizer in the 79th minute therefore fell into the category of “the luck of the brave”. Ismael Koné, who set the pace in midfield, and David Promise prepared wonderfully. But would Larin’s shot have been successful if it hadn’t been deflected? The Canadians rightly didn’t care at all.
In the final phase, however, the main thing for both teams was to avoid ending up empty-handed.
Already into the next round with a win against Qatar?
Ice hockey and lacrosse, invented by the indigenous people, are Canada’s national sports. There is no independent professional football league. Clubs like Toronto FC, Club de Foot Montreal and the Vancouver Whitecaps play in the MLS. And so it almost seemed to be proof of a lack of interest in soccer that quite a few seats in the Toronto Stadium were empty at the start of the opening ceremony. However, many apparently had problems getting there. With over 43,000 fans, the stadium was almost full in the end.
We have to play better against Qatar. We really enjoyed playing in Toronto. We also need this support in Vancouver.
And national coach Marsch explicitly praised the city and fans for their support. Even though Canada really doesn’t have to hide behind Switzerland from Bosnia and Qatar in Group B, the support of the fans is definitely of great importance. At best, the country will carry its national team to victory in the group. Then you would have home advantage again in the round of 16.
But the Canadians aren’t thinking that far yet – and they’re doing well. The focus is on the second group game next Friday (19.06./00 p.m.) against the blatant outsiders Qatar. With a win and then four points, a place in the round of 16 finals – at least as one of the eight best third-placed teams in the group – could already be certain.