Ali Ahmed and Canada prepare for Vancouver homecoming at the World Cup in a wide-open Group B

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Ali Ahmed’s move from the Vancouver Whitecaps to English club Norwich ahead of this year’s MLS season did little to diminish his standing among local supporters.While the Canada midfielder was in Toronto for his team’s World Cup opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina, supporters who gathered at the fan festival at Freedom Mobile Arch in Vancouver erupted when Ahmed’s No. 20 flashed on the substitution board.The fans chanted his name on multiple occasions as Ahmed turned in a respectable performance from the 61st minute on and contributed to his nation’s 1-1 draw.“I was very impressed by his substitution. He was able to get across his man a lot,” said Adam Lovell, a member of a group of Canadian soccer supporters called The Voyageurs. “I think the home crowd will be definitely a determining factor in helping give him a lift.”

In the other Group B game, Switzerland was held to a 1-1 draw by Qatar, leaving all four teams even headed into the next set of matches. Canada will stay in Vancouver for the rest of the group stage, facing Qatar on Thursday and Switzerland on June 24.

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