Norwich City wide player Ali Ahmed helped Canada make World Cup history in a 1-1 draw for the co-hosts against Bosnia in Toronto.
Ahmed was introduced in the 61st minute of Friday's opener for his first competitive action since a hamstring injury on the final day of the Championship season at Hull.
The 25-year-old, deployed on the right flank for Jesse Marsch’s side, caught the eye with a number of darts as the hosts looked for a way back after Jovo Lukic’s first half header.
Ahmed was part of an inspired triple substitution that saw Southampton loanee Cyle Larin despatch Promise David’s flick with a deflected equaliser in the 78th minute, to earn Canada a first ever World Cup point at the seventh attempt.
Ahmed was the first of City’s World Cup contingent in action with both Mo Toure and Kenny McLean scheduled to kick off their campaigns for Australia and Scotland respectively this weekend.
“You could say the subs made a big impact and those were the right calls,” said Marsch. “I had some weapons on the bench that I wanted to bring in, I wanted to get more energy onto the field. I felt we had to find ways to push the game and be sharper.
“But I also need to figure out how to get a little more out of the starters. I told them after the match if we play like that second half for the whole match then we win. We have to find a way to get a little bit more confidence and a little bit more self-belief.
“The good part was in a difficult moment we responded. That second half was what represented us as a group.
“We could see that they were fading (on what he said to his players in the final drinks break). So, I told them that we’ve got them, now it’s time to put your foot down for the jugular and go for the goal.
“We still have everything in hand, that’s a really big point for us in the group and we’ve made sure we’re not losing any ground, but we have to make sure the next performance is a reflection and a learning point. You look at past World Cups and it can be a tentative start and the true version of a team comes through as you go through the tournament.”
Canada now head to Ahmed’s former home in Vancouver to face Qatar next Thursday, before wrapping up their Group B fixtures against Switzerland on June 24.
