In the emotional moments after Cyle Larin became Canadian soccer's modern-day hero, the World Cup went from ceremonial to serious for one of the joint host countries.
And then barely 24 hours later, the implications of that rocket to the right corner of the Bosnia-Herzegovina net grew exponentially for Canada. Not only did it secure a draw and the nation's first ever point in the World Cup, it got better with age. On Saturday afternoon in Santa Clara, California, we learned in dramatic fashion how every little success in a tournament like this can become something much bigger.
A desperation Qatar goal in added time at the home of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers spoiled a dominating effort from Group B favourite Switzerland, and created another 1-1 draw. Much like Canada just 24 hours earlier, the Qataris recorded the first World Cup point in their country's history and in the process blew Group B and its permutations wide open.
The bottom line is the Qatar-Switzerland tie made Canada's draw with Bosnia feel like a win. So say hello to your first-place Canadians, even if it is a four-way tie at the moment. At minimum, the complexion of this much-anticipated tournament took a dramatic shift in Canada's favour by improving their chances to capture the Group and the benefits attached to it.
Why Canada's Draw Meant So Much
The larger point in Canadian coach Jesse Marsch's view has to be that his team survived its opener and then some. Friday's contest was never going to be easy against a stubborn group of Bosnians, experts at the upset, in a game loaded with trappings for his team. With the historic implications and the expectations attached to a World Cup on home soil, that brilliant afternoon on the Toronto lakefront had the potential to be too heavy a burden for Canada.
By securing that point, they could instead exhale and if things fall the way Marsch hopes, the opportunity will serve up a better effort against Qatar.
"We still have everything in hand," Marsch said at his post-match press conference in Toronto. "It was a really big point for us to put ourselves in the group and make sure we're not losing any ground. But we have to make sure the next performance is a reflection and a learning point."
With that in mind, Marsch pointed to Argentina's magical run four years ago in Qatar, a triumph for superstar Lionel Messi and his compatriots. After losing their first match, 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, the Argentines locked in and never looked back on their way to a championship.
"If you look at World Cup historically, teams can (improve)," Marsch said following Friday's game. "It doesn't matter if it's Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia last World Cup or different scenarios where it starts a little tense in the beginning matches and then the games come more to life and you see truer versions of teams. So for us, it's really important that we use this experience to be better and stronger and more prepared."
No, Canada is not Argentina. But after a hard-fought draw and a first World Cup point when they weren't at their best, a Swiss miss made that result feel that much more of an accomplishment.
What Are the Other Implications?
On one hand, the Friday-Saturday results effectively void the first matches, turning it into a two-game showdown for each competitor. Just as all four teams could claim the Group, all four could also be eliminated.
There is caution with the Qatar match, of course, as the Swiss learned with anguish. With Thursday's game vs. Qatar always feeling like one in which Canada would need to claim the three points, should they fall short, the possibility arises that their final Group game against Switzerland be a win or be eliminated affair.
In any event, the two games Canada plays in Vancouver will be drama and opportunity at its highest in a tournament that just become considerably more interesting for them. If you're Canada, though, finishing first should always have been the motivation, earning the right to remain at home in Vancouver for the start of group play, truly accentuating the home World Cup concept. And on Saturday afternoon it became more achievable than it was a day earlier.
More Goals Needed (Still!)
Further to the scenarios above, it is now more imperative than ever that Canada needs to find ways to score goals — and not rely on the hope of getting one per game in the net. It is also becoming clear that the Canadians are hearing the noise about their offensive struggles and not enjoying the chorus.
Marsch has been leading the band, insisting that the goals will come until finally reacting in a meaningful way on Friday. Larin added his refrain after scoring his big goal, hustling to the corner in the south end of the stadium and petulantly putting fingers in both ears to figuratively silence the noise.
"That's for the fans and the reporters who say I shouldn't be where I'm supposed to be," Larin said. "I've always proved them wrong (and) I did it again. Hopefully now they can shut up."
Perhaps a little overdone petulance for Larin, who had scored just once in his previous 17 matches for Canada. And in the broader picture, Marsch's squad has scored just eight goals in its previous nine matches. And had Larin not done his part to secure the point against the Bosnians, the noise surrounding these struggles would have been amplified exponentially in the six days between matches.
The attack will no doubt be a point of emphasis when the Canadians return training in Vancouver with an added point of motivation provided by the Switzerland-Qatar game. As profoundly one-sided as that contest was, the Swiss learned in painful fashion the risk of not putting an inferior opponent away.
Qatar Makes Its Own History
In just their second World Cup appearance — after being the host nation four years ago — had their own breakthrough, one even more dramatic than Larin's late second-half goal for Canada. Boualem Khoukki's header in the fourth minute of stoppage time gutted the Swiss, who had dominated throughout. It was just the second World Cup goal in the nation's abbreviated history.
Up Next
With six days between matches, Marsch is going to ease his troops back into action. After the long flight out to Vancouver on Saturday, the team has designated Sunday as a rest day giving them three more days to train prior to the meeting against Qatar. The added off day will be appreciated by the Canadians, an edge over the Qataris who played in blistering heat in Northern California on Saturday. It also gives the injury ward under Marsch's watch further opportunity to become more fit.
