Larin comes off bench to cancel Lukic strike in World Cup Group B opener
\n Canada
\nFor long spells of Canada\u2019s World Cup Group B opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina it looked like the co-hosts would come up short but striker Cyle Larin came off the bench and calmed their nerves with an equaliser that secured a glorious first point.
\nPlaying in the country\u2019s first men\u2019s World Cup game on home soil, the Canadians enjoyed the lion\u2019s share of possession and created plenty of chances.
\nHowever, a sucker-punch goal from Jovo Lukic for the Bosnians in the 21st minute left the World Cup co-hosts in a deep hole and it fell to Larin to drag them out of it.
\nAfter spending 76 minutes stewing on the bench after being left out of Jesse Marsch\u2019s starting lineup, Southampton striker Larin had a point to prove and scored less than three minutes after coming on with an excellent turn and shot.
\n\u201cI mean, I want to play every game and I\u2019ve been working all those seasons in my club to play every game but sometimes you don\u2019t have control, but I have to show when I go in the game, and I showed today I should be playing,\u201d he told Canadian TV.
\nCanada enjoyed plenty of success attacking down the wings and working the ball into the box, but their attack lacked a dominant focal point and the Bosnia defence was able to deal with most of what was thrown at them with relative ease.
\nThat changed when 31-year-old Larin came on to inject much-needed composure and control into a courageous Canadian display, netting a goal that puts them in a good position ahead of their next game against Qatar in Vancouver on June 18.
\n\u201cI think we just have to stay concentrated at all moments, and that\u2019s the World Cup,\u201d Larin said.
\n\u201cI think we gave away a set-piece goal, and we just (need to) build off this game.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ll be playing home again in Vancouver, and we\u2019ve just got to push the limit and be killers around the ball.\u201d
\nDespite appearing under pressure from the expectant home fans for most of the game, defender Alistair Johnston said they proved a key factor in the Canadian comeback.
\n\u201cIt felt like they probably pulled that ball into the net for us … we\u2019re going to need to continue to build on that. We\u2019re going to need this crowd with us,\u201d he told Canadian TV.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Larin comes off bench to cancel Lukic strike in World Cup Group B opener Canada For long spells of Canada\u2019s World Cup Group B opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina it looked like the co-hosts would come up short but striker Cyle Larin came off the bench and calmed their nerves with an equaliser that secured […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":551192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-551179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n