TORONTO — Cyle Larin knew exactly what he was doing.The Canada forward didn’t pout when he was a surprise omission from Jesse Marsch’s starting line-up against Bosnia and Herzegovina.He was given the final 14 minutes to make an impact in Canada men’s first World Cup game on home soil, when they were trailing 1-0.No stranger to criticism from the Canada fans, Larin didn’t panic as he stepped onto the field with the pressure on.Their No. 2 goalscorer of all time received a pass from Promise David, spun past a Bosnia defender and guided a powerful finish home to make it 1-1. It was the instinctive play of a veteran forward in his first involvement on the field, only 121 seconds after he was introduced.He ran to the corner and plugged his fingers in his ears. He had silenced his doubters.The goal secured a 1-1 draw for Canada and the men’s team’s first point at a World Cup.Asked to explain the celebration, the 31-year-old said: “Just to shut everyone up.”After making that gesture, he kissed the Canada Soccer badge. Hours beforehand, Larin had posted on Instagram, “never stopped appreciating what it means to wear this badge.”Others might have stopped appreciating what Larin has done — and can still do. He made his debut back in 2014, and despite scoring 31 times for his country, he’s been no stranger to criticism. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time during Canada’s low points makes you easy fodder. Many had lost faith in Larin, whose last goal for Canada came in 2024. This afternoon it seemed like Marsch had lost faith in him too, at least for this match.But Larin? No, he knew exactly what he was doing. Born and raised just northwest of Toronto Stadium in Brampton, he never lost faith.“I made a lot of sacrifices to come to this moment,” Larin said. “I’ve been put in this position before, and I’ve always showed up.”Against Bosnia, no other Canadian attacker could force a breakthrough. The 43,002 fans needed a release, and Marsch’s chosen frontline of Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi kept failing to convert chances. The kind of chance you would dream about getting in a World Cup match on home soil. It seemed like the story of the day, yet again, would be Canada’s missed opportunities.Then Larin joined the party.