For 75 minutes, it looked like more of the same. Canada, 0-0-6 all-time at the World Cup, was staring down another loss on home soil. Bosnia-Herzegovina had jumped ahead early on a Jovo Lukic header in the 21st minute, and despite controlling much of the play, Canada couldn’t find an equalizer. The crowd in Toronto was restless. Then Jesse Marsch made a call that flipped the script.
In the 76th minute, the Canadian coach pulled forward Tani Oluwaseyi and sent in Cyle Larin, a veteran striker who had just signed a two-year deal with Southampton in the EFL Championship. It wasn’t a popular move — Oluwaseyi had been Canada’s most active creator — but Marsch had a hunch. That hunch paid off in about 10 seconds.
The moment that silenced doubters
On Larin’s very first touch of the match, Promise David laid off a perfect one-touch pass. Larin didn’t hesitate. He beat the Bosnian keeper cleanly and slammed the ball into the net. The stadium erupted. Among the fans celebrating wildly was Canadian movie star and soccer superfan Ryan Reynolds, who was caught on camera losing his mind in the stands.
It was Canada’s first goal of the 2026 World Cup — and more importantly, it earned them their first-ever point in tournament history. Not a win, but a draw that felt like a victory given the circumstances.
What this means for Canada’s road ahead
Canada still has group stage matches against Qatar and Switzerland. Under the new 48-team World Cup format, three teams from Group B could theoretically advance to the knockout rounds. That means every single point matters. Marsch’s substitution — risky at the time — could be the moment Canada looks back on as the turning point of their campaign.
Fans online were quick to credit the coach. On social media, one user posted a clip of Reynolds celebrating alongside the caption: “Ryan Reynolds celebrating Canada’s first goal in this year’s World Cup to tie the game up!” The post racked up thousands of shares within hours.
Whether Canada can build on this momentum remains to be seen. But for one afternoon in Toronto, a bold coaching decision turned a potential heartbreak into a historic milestone.
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