Canada head coach Jesse Marsch says he urged his players to seize their first-ever win at the World Cup during an animated team talk in their opening 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 finals in Toronto.
On his debut at the finals, Marsch saw his side fall behind to Jovo Lukic’s 21st-minute header and waste a succession of chances until Cyle Larin – on after the former Leeds United boss had used the final water break to tell his players to beat a “fading” Bosnia and Herzegovina team – earned them a point with a superb 78th-minute strike.
“We felt like we had them,” Marsch told BBC Sport of his address to his team midway through the second period.
“I told them ‘we’ve got them – now it’s time to put your foot on the jugular and go for the goal.'”
Table of Contents
Jesse Marsch analysis: Canada ‘tentative’ in first half
Les Rouges, who had lost all six of their previous matches at the finals, enjoyed more than 61% of possession in their attempt to change that track record in the first game in Group B, finishing on an expected goals total from open play of 0.99 to the play-off winners’ 0.02.
Promise David had been on the pitch for 17 minutes when the Union SG forward set up Larin, who had come on two minutes earlier, to level.
“The subs came on and made a big difference,” observed Marsch. “We were starting to push the game. The tempo got higher and we could see [our opponents] were fading.
“I’m disappointed with the first half. I just felt we were tentative. We didn’t play as aggressively as I would have liked.
“We’ve got to find a way that when we say we want to be aggressive and play intensive and be hard to play against, that we actually do it.
“We talked about it afterwards and in the second half, from the first second we stepped on the pitch, it was different.”
World Cup 2026: Canada ‘have to learn quick’
Canada would have scored sooner in the second half but for Sead Kolasinac’s outstanding intervention to hook Richie Laryea’s shot against the crossbar and away with goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj beaten.
They are next in action in Vancouver on Thursday (23:00 BST) against a Qatar side who lost all three of their matches on their only previous appearance at the finals in 2022.
“I told them we’ve got to learn these lessons and we’ve got to learn them quick,” Marsch said of Canada’s profligacy.
“We still have everything in hand. That’s a really big point for us, to keep ourselves in the group and make sure we’re not losing any ground.
“But we have to make sure that the next performance is a reflection and a learning point from what we did today.
“The city’s [Toronto] been alive this week, so we’ve really enjoyed being here. I expect Vancouver to be the same.
“All the red jerseys were outstanding. We need the same in Vancouver. Keep pushing this team, keep rooting on the goals.
“We’ve got to give these guys confidence and make them believe they can really be winners.”
THE VIBES IN TORONTO RIGHT NOW 🇨🇦⚽️🇨🇦⚽️ pic.twitter.com/pzzMtjsYEa
— Made In Canada (@MadelnCanada) June 12, 2026
World Cup 2026: Canada team vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Marsch made one change in attack from Canada’s 1-1 draw with Ireland in Montreal on June 6, Tani Oluwaseyi supplanting Larin.
Captain Alphonso Davies was out with a hamstring strain and centre-back Moise Bombito was not ready to start following a broken leg but midfielder Ismael Kone recovered after missing training with a fever on Wednesday.
Forward Jayden Nelson replaced Marcelo Flores in the squad after the winger suffered a serious knee injury.
Canada starting XI: Maxime Crepeau, Alistair Johnston, Luc De Fougerolles, Derek Cornelius, Richie Laryea, Tajon Buchanan, Ismael Kone, Stephen Eustaquio, Liam Millar, Jonathan David, Tani Oluwaseyi
Canada substitutes: Dayne St. Clair, Alfie Jones, Joel Waterman, Mathieu Choiniere, Cyle Larin, Jacob Shaffelburg, Moise Bombito, Owen Goodman, Alphonso Davies, Ali Ahmed, Jonathan Osorio, Niko Sigur, Promise David, Nathan Saliba, Jayden Nelson
World Cup 2026: Canada fixtures, schedule vs Qatar
Here’s when the action starts in different territories and the UK broadcaster.
| Date | Match | Time (BST) | ET | PT | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 18 | Canada vs Qatar | 23:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 | ITV |
World Cup 2026: Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina stats
- Canada are unbeaten in their last nine games (W5 D4) since a 1-0 home defeat to Australia in October 2025
- They have lost one of their last 29 games in Toronto (W18 D10)
- Defender Joel Waterman was also part of Canada’s squad at the finals in 2022 but did not make an appearance and did not come on in this match
- With 39 goals in 78 appearances, Juventus forward David is Canada’s record scorer
- Larin is their second-top all-time marksman of all time with 31 goals in 91 matches, although he had not added to that tally since netting in a friendly against Panama in Toronto in October 2024
- Bosnia and Herzegovina scored in all 10 of their qualifiers and are also unbeaten in nine matches (W2 D7, including friendlies) since a 2-1 home defeat to Austria in September 2025
- This was Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first competitive match against CONCACAF opposition and they had drawn each of their last five games against all opposition (including friendlies)
- Dzeko could become the second-oldest outfield player ever to feature at the World Cup, behind Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who was 42 years and 39 days of age at the 1994 finals in the USA
- The former Manchester City targetman is his country’s 143-cap all-time leading appearance-maker and 73-goal record scorer, netting six times during qualifying
- Barbaraz did not win any of his first eight matches in charge but guided his side through their first successful play-off campaign for a major tournament at the sixth attempt
You Should Also Read
