The football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina drew with home team Canada tonight at the Toronto Stadium in the first round of Group B of the World Cup, and in the end it was 1:1.
Despite the big point, the bitter taste remains, given that we conceded the goal at the end of the game. With this point, we increased the chances of going further, given that we have a point on our account and two more games to go.
Bosnia and Herzegovina started the match phenomenally. We stood exceptionally in the middle of the field, and by far the strongest part of our game was the defense, led by Muharemović and Katić, who reacted brilliantly, and we reduced Canada’s offensive line to only one serious chance in the first half.
But let’s go in order.
As we mentioned above, we started the game extremely offensively, and we had our first chance, and a big one, in the 3rd minute. After a cross from Bašić, Nikola Katic was the highest in the jump, who lowered it brilliantly for Memic, and our midfielder shot high over the goal from 11 meters.
We continued with a better game at the beginning, and for the next chance we waited until the fifth minute when Jovo Lukić headed a shot, but it was not accurate.
The home team retaliated in the 17th minute, and it was the best opportunity for Canada. The ball bounced off several players, and eventually reached the Juventus striker David, but his shot from a good position was surely defended by Vasilj.
Just four minutes later, we rewrote the history of the BiH national team. After a corner taken by Bašić, Kolašinac passed the ball from the front post to Jovo Lukić, who routinely scores for 1:0 and an eruption of enthusiasm at the Toronto Stadium in Canada.
The home team threatened again in the 32nd minute when Oluwaseyi broke free from Muharemović, but then shot over the goal.
By the end of the first half, we watched Canada’s futile attacks, while our guys defended patiently and skillfully, and the Dragons went into halftime with a 1:0 lead.
Canada started the second half much more offensively, and it seemed that they had more chances in the first five minutes of the second half than in the entire first.
The first dangerous chance in front of our goal was created by Buchanan, but Vasilj intervened well.
It was played in the 51st minute when Kolašinac probably made the best intervention in his career. The hosts performed a nice action, Larye shot, beat Vasilja, but on the line Kolašinac throws the ball that bounces off the crossbar.
Only three minutes later we could have brutally punished Canada. Muharemović sent a deep ball brilliantly, which reached Demirović. The Stuttgart striker goes out on his own against the goalkeeper Crepeau, but he doesn’t do well and it remains 1:0 for our team.
Muharemović had the next chance for the Dragons in the 58th minute, when he was the highest in the jump after a new corner taken by Bašić, but he shot over the goal.
Oluwaseyi had another great opportunity for the home team in the 66th minute. He shot with his head, beat Vasilja, but this time Nikola Katic saved the Dragons from the goal line.
In the continuation, Barbarez made several changes, and among others, Šunjić, Gigović, Alajbegović and Baždar entered the game, which gave additional energy to our Dragons.
It was played in the 78th minute when Canada equalized. After a long action, but luckily due to several deductions, the ball reached Larin, who scored beautifully from the top of the penalty area for 1:1 and a great celebration of the local fans, as well as the players.
It was 1:1 until the end, with which we won an extremely important point in the fight for passage to the next round of the World Cup.
The Dragons will play their second match at the World Cup on June 18 in Los Angeles against Switzerland, Klix.ba writes.
