MEXICO CITY, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The United States opened its campaign with an emphatic victory and Canada claimed a historic point in an eventful second day of the FIFA World Cup on Friday.
In Toronto, substitute Cyle Larin scored late to earn Canada a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, ending a run of six consecutive World Cup defeats for the North American team.
Jovo Lukic put his side ahead in the 21st minute, heading in from close range after Ivan Basic's in-swinging corner.
Larin, a 76th-minute replacement for Tani Oluwaseyi, equalized two minutes later by controlling Promise David's flicked pass and rifling a 16-yard shot into the far corner.
"That's for the fans, the reporters, and the journalists who say I shouldn't have been where I'm supposed to be," said Larin, who hadn't scored an international goal since 2024.
"But I've always proved them wrong. And I did it again. Hopefully now they can shut up."
Canada manager Jesse Marsch praised local fans for creating a "hostile environment" against the European team.
"The week in Toronto has been amazing. The fans have been outstanding," Marsch told a post-match news conference.
"The place erupted when we scored the goal. It is the first ever [World Cup] point in Canada's history so we should be happy and enjoy that. We are trying to pave the way for the future but also capture the now."
Bosnia and Herzegovina manager Sergej Barbarez bemoaned his team's reluctance to take risks after the early goal.
"We left the initiative to Canadians, and we were playing in low blocks, and we were defensive," Barbarez told reporters.
"We were playing an opening match in front of the full stadium and there were 80 percent of Canadian supporters. This is huge pressure, and it's a huge compliment for my team to have not succumbed to that pressure."
In Los Angeles, Folarin Balogun scored two first-half goals as the United States cruised to a 4-1 win over Paraguay, a match that marked the first World Cup game on U.S. soil in 32 years.
Giovanni Reyna was also on target for the hosts, who were aided by a Damian Bobadilla own goal. Brazil-born attacking midfielder Mauricio struck in the second half for the South American side.
The only concern for the U.S. came when Christian Pulisic was substituted at halftime, with the reason for his withdrawal not immediately disclosed. ■
