Canada are forced to settle for a point, but it’s a historic one, their first ever at the World Cup.
That was a raw and thoroughly enjoyable game. Canada were a touch wasteful but they got there in the end, Cyle Larin showing his teammates the way just minutes after coming on. Bosnia very nearly nicked it with that well-worked corner in the first half but it would’ve been horrid for Canada if they hadn’t got at least a point.
Canada are forced to settle for a point, but it’s a historic one, their first ever at the World Cup.
90+6 min Massive, massive block. Larin has room to shoot from close range but a Bosnia shirt gets in the way. It’s Muharemovic who saves them.
90+5 min Canada are struggling to keep the ball down and get their fluency … but here’s Ahmed on the right. His ball into the mixer is too loopy, and collected by the Bosnia keeper.
90+3 min Bosnia have a free-kick, taken short before Canada get on the move … Katic pulls back Larin for the most obvious of yellow cards.
90+2 min The boos are loud as play is stopped with Muharemovic down.
90+1 min Six minutes for a winner. Osorio replaces Eustaquio.
90 min Eustaquio sends a free-kick into the area … Vasilj collects with ease.
89 min Promise David holds the ball up well to win a free-kick inside Bosnia’s half. Ahmed whizzes away on the right for Canada, very nearly collecting the ball inside the Bosnia area.
87 min Katic slides away to turn a Canada corner into a throw … it’ll be a long one sent in by Johnston. Katic heads away as Bosnia counter.
85 min Bosnia have a corner, but this time it’s a Canada head that gets there first.
84 min Larin’s barely been on the field. Now he’s on the hunt for the winner as Kolasinac makes his way off.
Koné drives through midfield and finds Promise, whose lovely flick is collected by Larin. He turns inside the area and launches, the deflected effort finding its way past Vasilj. Not as cracking a strike as I first thought but he won’t care, Canada won’t care. They’re finally level.
Canada wheel it around but Bosnia are in full park-the-bus mode. Ignore me: here’s Larin with a cracking strike!
77 min The lively Oluwaseyi makes way for Larin.
76 min Bosnia string together a decent spell on the ball – that drinks break has taken away Canada’s momentum.
74 min Bosnia keep the changes coming. Sunjic and Alajbegovic come on.
73 min De Fougerolles narrowly escapes trouble as he twirls away at the back for Canada.
72 min Marsch barks out the orders before play resumes.
69 min Time for a drink. Kári Tulinius writes in:
Considering that Bosnia’s defense is slower than a bunch of heavy, slow things, Jesse Marsch’s plan to have his team run at them makes sense. However, the Canadians are too hectic, the last ball is usually far off the mark, and whatever opening has presented itself is lost.
68 min Can Bosnia really hold on for another half hour?
66 min Cleared off the line!Canada get closer and closer … but it’s just not happening for them. Katic heads away after Oluwaseyi heads across goal.
65 min Eustaquio receives by the edge of the area and lets loose … but it’s wide of the top right corner.
64 min Ahmed drifts in from the right and the hulking Promise tries to get away a shot on the turn. The Canadian subs have brought some pep.
63 min Promise is immediately into action, hustling away inside the Bosnia area … and the whistle goes against him for a foul.
61 min Canada are making some changes. Millar, Buchanan and Jonathan David come off. On are Promise David, Shaffelburg and Ahmed. Bosnia bring on Gigovic and Bazdar.
59 min Corner to Bosnia … and they continue to threaten from set-pieces. Muharemovic rises for the header but it’s over the bar.
56 min And just moments after that block, Demirovic is in for Bosnia … but he fluffs a one-on-one. That could’ve been a horrid moment for Canada.
53 min Oh my days. Canada work the ball beautifully with some one-touch magic and Laryea is in, firing past the keeper … but Kolasinac retreats to block the ball, which smashes off the bar and to safety! An unbelievable bit of defending.
51 min It does feel like a matter of time for Canada. They’ve got the quality here … though a cross from the left goes straight to Vasilj.
49 min Well, what do we have here? Oluwaseyi chases a bouncing ball, Vasilj comes out to punch and collides with the Canada forward … both players go down and this is a serious penalty shout. The replays come in and the keeper does get the ball before getting the man.
47 min Oluwaseyi jinks away on the right, the path suddenly wide open for him, but his low ball in can’t find a teammate.
46 min And we’re back. Demirovic turns and shoots from range, ambitiously – Crépeau doesn’t let the awkward bounce trouble him.
Charles Antaki writes in:
I know that it’s literally a sideshow, but managers’ get-ups are always worth a look: here, the Bosnian manager is sporting a white T-shirt and Gianni-level white trainers; but the outstanding feature is a 1950s demob-style double-breasted suit. It may catch on.
Sergej Barbarez is looking resplendent.
Just catching up on some correspondence. Ceri Rees writes in from Pontypool, Ontario.
It breaks my heart to see the empty seats in Toronto. I’m an ex-pat and Brighton fan sitting an hour away and would have given anything to be at the game. But I, like so many other ex-pats and native Canadians alike, am simply unable to justify the price being asked for those seats. Shame on Fifa for preferring empty seats to fulfilling the dreams of real football fans.
Speaking of which …
A frustrating half for the co-hosts. They’ve had most of the ball, a couple of decent chances, and loads of corners. But Bosnia have the goal.
45+3 min Long-throw time again for Canada … after a bit of pinball Johnston smashes an effort, but Kolasinac gets in the block. Cornelius rises to head a corner wide.
45+1 min We’ll have four added minutes. Lukic, the goalscorer, gets a yellow after getting his foot high on Buchanan.
45 min Demirovic goes in the book after lunging into Cornelius. Laryea shows decent pace to get back and shield the ball out for a Canada goalkick.
44 min Some glum faces among the home support as Kolasinac sends a throw into the Canada area.
42 min De Fougerolles launches a mazy dribble inside his half before Canada wheel it around at the back. Johnston and Memic have had a tidy battle over on Bosnia’s left wing, and the former goes down to win a foul.
40 min Canada’s gazillionth corner of this half comes and goes.
39 min Buchanan presses boost and zips down the right, stepovers in the mix, and wins a corner. Bosnia stay resolute.
38 min Another corner follows from the other side … but Canada aren’t threatening at all with the dead ball.
37 min Millar has looked sharp on the left for Canada and wins a corner.
35 min The camera finds Wrexham’s Ryan Reynolds. He also acts.
32 min The game’s stuck in Bosnia’s half … and Oluwaseyi muscles away Muharemovic to gain space inside the area … he has time but fires high with his left foot, unable to control the bouncing ball. That’s another big chance.
30 min Jonathan David is at the centre of things, this time winning Canada a free-kick from the left after a needless foul from Muharemovic. Canada waste it, though.
28 min Millar fizzes in a pass to Jonathan David inside the area … he shapes to have a go with his left boot but the effort is blocked. The lively Buchanan helps win Canada a corner.
27 min Johnston fight for the ball over on the right before Buchanan does the same, winning Canada a free-kick.
Time for a hydration break. Canadian fans may want something a little stronger. It was Kolasinac who assisted with the flick-on.
They’ve been threatening with the dead ball and they make it count with a corner. It’s simple stuff: a ball into the near post, flicked on and then headed in by Lukic, too close to miss from there. It’s his first goal in international football. Tidy time to get it.
Bosnia strike with the set-piece!
19 min Laryea rampages down the left for Canada with serious energy. Marsch’s men are moving with a bit more fluency now.
17 min Canada finally come alive. Koné splits Bosnia with a ball to Oluwaseyi, who crosses in from the left, searching for David. Canada push numbers forward as Millar sends in a cross of his own … moments later the ball breaks perfectly for Jonathan David inside the area and he goes first-time, hitting it straight at Vasilj. It’s a poor effort – he really needed to do more with it, could’ve even taken a touch before launching. Marsch fumes on the touchline.
15 min The corner is taken short and doesn’t cause any bother as Bosnia counter … but the ball hits the referee to stop play.
14 min Johnston fires in a quick throw, Jonathan David is on to it, crossing from the right and winning a corner …
