Cyle Larin levelled for the home team in the 78^th minute after Jovo Lukic put Bosnia ahead midway through the first half in the first World Cup finals game played on Canadian soil. Canada had previously lost all six games in their two previous appearances at World Cup finals in 1986 and 2022.

Lukic's goal from a corner sent the small but enthusiastic Bosnian contingent at the Toronto Stadium into a frenzy.

Canada had most of the play in the first half but struggled to find a finishing touch.

Forward Jonathan David had a chance in the 17^th minute, which was easily handled by Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

Canada's Ismael Kone had a golden opportunity with half an hour gone but his strike sailed over the bar, prompting groans from tens of thousands of Canadians dressed in red.

The second half began in similar fashion, with Canada largely on the front foot but unable to find an equalizer.

Bosnia's veteran defender Sead Kolasinac saved a certain goal when he diverted a strike from David onto the crossbar. But as the minutes ticked away, Larin finally scored Canada's historic goal.

The goal was celebrated wildly by the home fans, with Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Mike Myers in the stands.

Canada threatened a winner in the closing moments but had to settle for a draw and will next face Qatar in Vancouver on June 18.

"It was special for me. I was ready to come and help the team," said Larin. "I thought the goals would come. I score when Canada needs me, and always have done.

"We just have to stay concentrated. We'll be playing at home and just have to push the limit."

Canada coach Jesse Marsch said he did not do enough to ready his side for the first half of the match and wants to see more "self-belief" in their next match. He added his second-half substitutes made a "big impact", particularly Larin.

"I've got to figure out how to get a little bit more out of some of the starters and make sure that we have a better performance from the start," Marsch told reporters in Toronto.

"We want to make sure that the team is equipped from the start for all these matches," he said, adding: "I feel like I didn't do enough to get them ready for the first half."

Marsch was asked about two key decisions with his lineup, including not starting Larin.

"Cyle wasn't happy about not starting and we had a brief conversation about that, but I said, 'Look, you've had a great year at Southampton whether you started or came off the bench,'" he said, praising Larin for putting himself in a position to find the net.

Asked about removing star forward Jonathan David after an hour, Marsch said: "Johnny didn't have his best day. It's normal that a player doesn't always play at his peak."

"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," the coach added.

Marsch also thanked Canada fans who blanketed Toronto Stadium in a sea of red for Canada's first-ever World Cup match on home soil: "In a difficult moment, we responded, and I have to also thank the crowd. The crowd, I think, willed us into the game."

Bosnia-Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez told reporters "both teams deserved this point," praising his side for a resilient effort in hostile terrain.

"It's a huge compliment for my team to have not succumbed to that pressure," he said.

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