Canada battled back for a deserved 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday as the co-hosts picked up a maiden point in the first men's World Cup game played on Canadian soil.
Experienced substitute Cyle Larin scored in style on 78 minutes having only recently come on to leave Toronto fans in raptures.
"I was ready to come in and score," he said. "I think we played better second half."
Bosnia forward Jovo Lukić, only playing due to fitness concerns around 40-year-old veteran Edin Džeko and Haris Tabaković, had opened the scoring when he nodded in on 21 after a corner had been flicked on. It was his first international goal and one of the easiest he will ever score.
The Toronto stadium, expanded temporarily for this World Cup but still the smallest at the tournament with 45,000 seats, had been treated to songs by Canadian singers Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé before kick-off.
First point in seven men's World Cup games
The home team, who lost all of their previous six men's World Cup games over two tournaments, produced their own rousing performance after going behind and should have won on the balance of play.
The Bosnians, in a second men's World Cup as an independent nation, were happy to sit back and absorb pressure but ultimately paid the price. Keeper Nikola Vasilj also just avoided a penalty and red card with a punched clearance.
A stunning clearance by Sead Kolašinac, who somehow turned Richie Laryea's near certain goal onto the bar, looked like it would keep the Balkan side ahead before a fine move conjured up a leveller.
Larin's goal was the 31-year-old's 31st in 91 Canada appearances.
Canada's US coach Jesse Marsch said: "The substitutes came on and made a big difference.
"I'm disappointed with the first half, we were tentative and didn't play as aggressively as I would have liked. Second half, from the first minute we stepped on the pitch, it was different."
Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez told Sport HRT: "You have to be realistic as we had good chances, we were also lucky. The point is satisfactory, but it is not yet time to calculate how many points will be enough to advance to the knockout stage."
The expanded 48-team tournament means eight third-placed sides will also progress from groups alongside the top two. But Canada want to top the group and stay on home turf for the knock-outs rather than go to co-hosts US or Mexico.
Top Canada star Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich hopes to be fit for the second group game against Qatar. The previous World Cup hosts face the Swiss in the second Group B game in Santa Clara on Saturday.
