Jesse Marsch praised Canada’s passionate supporters after his side secured the nation’s first ever FIFA World Cup point with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.
Canada looked set for disappointment after Jovo Lukic gave Bosnia and Herzegovina the lead in the first half. However, substitute Cyle Larin came off the bench to rescue a point for the co-hosts, scoring the equaliser late in the match to ensure Canada opened their FIFA World Cup campaign on a positive note.
More than 43,000 fans packed Toronto Stadium and created a vibrant atmosphere throughout the contest. Following the final whistle, Jesse Marsch made sure to acknowledge the role supporters played in helping his team fight back.
“The week in Toronto has been amazing. The fans have been outstanding,” Marsch said during his post match press 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.”
Jesse Marsch believes the energy from the stands became increasingly important as Canada grew into the game, especially after the break. The former Leeds United manager said the crowd helped lift the players during a difficult period and contributed significantly to the comeback.
“As the crowd started to feel that the team was growing into the game, specifically in the second half, you could feel them cheering louder and being more participatory and pushing the group. That’s what we need,” he said.
“We need the home crowd to push the team, to put pressure on referees, to create a hostile environment. We will need that in Vancouver too. A really great crowd but a team that shows belief in our group and that was very important for us.”
The result leaves Canada with everything to play for ahead of their second Group B fixture against Qatar in Vancouver on Thursday. A victory would move Jesse Marsch’s team significantly closer to a historic place in the Round of 32.
Looking ahead to the match, Jesse Marsch expressed confidence that supporters in Vancouver would deliver another memorable atmosphere.
“The fans in Vancouver, I know them. It is a football city. They love their national team. So I expect a full stadium, again, red jerseys. How awesome was it again to look around today and see all these red jerseys and a sea of red in the stadium,” he said.
“And to do the same, to push the team, from the start of the match make them feel loved and confident. It was a big factor on why we were able to get a point today.”
Jesse Marsch, who was born in the United States and sang the Canadian national anthem before kick off, admitted he was disappointed with how his side approached the opening stages of the match.
Canada struggled to settle early on and fell behind after 20 minutes. Nevertheless, Marsch praised the response from his players after half time and revealed that key tactical messages helped improve the team’s performance.
“I feel I didn’t do enough to get them ready for the first half but then the response that we showed in the second half and some of the messages that I gave at half time helped. I just want to make sure that we can give the country a team to be proud of and that the performances reflect that,” he added.
“I get so focused in on what you want your team to be as a coach. But I am just so focused to make sure that our players can be equipped so they can be the best they can be.”
Despite Canada’s second half dominance, Jesse Marsch felt the draw reflected the overall balance of the contest. At the same time, he acknowledged that the pressure and emotion of hosting a FIFA World Cup influenced his players during the opening exchanges.
“We talked a lot about the sense of occasion. We were aware of it. A home World Cup is a different occasion. It is a different feel,” he said.
“The stadium even felt different. It is bigger now so it doesn’t feel the same than the Toronto Stadium from before. I do think that we will learn from this. If you look at World Cup historically, there are different scenarios were it starts a bit tense in the beginning stages or matches and then the games come more to life and you see two versions of teams.
“For us, it will be really important that we use this experience to be better and stronger and more prepared for what exactly we want the game to look like.”
While Canada still await their first FIFA World Cup victory, Jesse Marsch and his players have already made history. The point against Bosnia and Herzegovina ended a long losing run on football’s biggest stage and provided a platform on which the co-hosts can build as their campaign continues.
