Bosnia's Barbarez regrets passive approach in draw against Canada

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bosnia-herzegovina/fqe7WYTr/"]Bosnia[/a] took the lead in the game ‌thanks to forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lukic-jovo/AVGMpFFJ/"]Jovo Lukic[/a]'s header, his first international ‌goal.[/p][p]But a spirited second-half performance by the World Cup ‌co-hosts resulted in a late equaliser by striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/larin-cyle/vNpXFtuQ/"]Cyle Larin[/a].[/p][p][b]"We left the initiative to Canadians, and we were playing in low ‌blocks, and we were defensive,"[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barbarez-sergej/xv3YWYid/"]Barbarez[/a] told ⁠reporters.[/p][embed guid="c1a4f1fc-10c0-4b8c-b47f-fd336f19faa6" url="https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/2065535023952851151?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]However, both teams deserved ‌the point, and the result was satisfactory, he said.[/p][p]Barbarez reserved special ​praise for his team in the face of a raucous home crowd, who cheered every time [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/x4toKORL/"]​Canada[/a] pressed forward.[/p][p][b]"You were playing an opening match in front of a full stadium, it was a full ⁠house, and there were ​80% of Canadian supporters. This is huge pressure, and it's a huge compliment for my team to have not succumbed to that pressure," [/b]he said.[/p][p]He was also hopeful ‌that 40-year-old striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dzeko-edin/zilGmgZq/"]Edin Dzeko[/a], who was on the bench, would play in the team's next game against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/switzerland/rHJ2vy1B/"]Switzerland[/a] in Los Angeles. Bosnia will then finish the group stage against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/qatar/zqzHL77i/"]Qatar[/a].[/p][image alt="Canada-Bosnia matchup stats" id="5e1b0e5f-c5cc-4a06-966d-2b40922a29eb" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="95568a50-b677-4a4b-8e5f-352e806cafb9" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]A sharp goal-line clearance by veteran [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kolasinac-sead/8xFYnbEi/"]Sead Kolasinac[/a] denied Canada an equaliser early in the second half. Barbarez highlighted Kolasinac's experience, saying he expected such things from the defender.[/p][p][b]"I expect him to hold the whole team together, ‌to lead the team, and this is what he ​has done today in a top-notch way,"[/b] he said.[/p][p]The ‌coach also took heart from the fight shown by his team and believes they will gain valuable experience from the match.[/p][p][b]"I have to compliment the Canadian team. They were incredibly physical, incredibly intense. They had ⁠their plan. They knew ⁠how to pull it ‌through,"[/b] he said.[/p][embed guid="e3be5f5c-1fc5-4684-8fe5-f28e21142108" url="https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/2065515931451752758?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]