Canada coach Marsch pleased with team's courage in World Cup draw with Bosnia

Canada's national soccer coach, Jesse Marsch, lauded his team's resilience and courage following their hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening World Cup match. The result secured Canada's first-ever point in the tournament's history.

Bosnia took the lead in the 21st minute with a goal from Jovo Lukic. However, Canada's sustained pressure in the second half eventually paid off. Substitute striker Cyle Larin, who had come off the bench, netted the equalizer in the 78th minute, igniting celebrations among the home crowd.

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I told them after the match that if we play like that second half, the whole match, we win.

Marsch acknowledged his team's struggles in the first half, describing their performance as "tentative" and lacking the desired aggression. "I'm disappointed with the first half," Marsch stated. "I just felt we were tentative. We didn't play as aggressively as I would have liked."

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I told them we've got to learn these lessons and we've got to learn them quick. We still have everything in hand, that's a really big point for us.

However, the coach was impressed with the team's second-half resurgence, noting their increased tempo, speed, and fitness that began to wear down the Bosnian side. "We could see that (Bosnia) were fading," Marsch said, recognizing his team's potential to exploit their opponent's fatigue. He urged his players to "put your foot on the jugular and go for the goal."

Larin's crucial goal came from a player Marsch had to motivate after he was not in the starting lineup. "Kyle wasn't happy about not starting," Marsch said, "But I said to him, 'Look, you've had a great year at Southampton... you've had an impact in every game, and now you have to wrap your mind around that.' And he did."

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Kyle wasn't happy about not starting, But I said to him, 'Look, you've had a great year at Southampton, whether you've started or come off the bench, you've had an impact in every game, and now you have to wrap your mind around that.' And he did.

Looking ahead, Marsch wants his team to replicate their second-half intensity from the kickoff in their next match against Qatar on June 18. He also aims to find ways to "get a little bit more out of some of the starters" to ensure a stronger performance from the beginning of the game.

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We could see that (Bosnia) were fading. So, I told them that we've got them now. It's time to put your foot on the jugular and go for the goal.