Two fans attending the World Cup clash between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina were taken into custody 50 minutes before kick-off after allegedly attacking police officers. The incident occurred at Toronto Stadium, where Canada were held to a 1-1 draw against Bosnia. Cyle Larin emerged as the national hero after scoring a late equaliser, cancelling out the early opener from Bosnia forward Jovo Lukic. Canada squandered several chances to claim their first-ever World Cup victory.
Unrest and Protests
Unrest also flared elsewhere in Toronto on Friday, with activists staging a protest directed at FIFA and Israel. The matchday atmosphere was largely good-natured, with Canadian and Bosnian supporters enjoying the occasion for the most part, but two fans were ejected and arrested prior to kick-off.
Police Confirmation
Toronto police confirmed to The Mirror that two men, part of a Bosnian supporters' group, were detained less than an hour before the match got underway. Authorities stated they were called to reports of a disturbance in the stands shortly after 2pm. Upon attending the incident, police say two officers were assaulted and sustained minor injuries.
Charges Filed
Both fans have been charged with assaulting a police officer, though no injuries were reported from the initial altercation in the stands.
Bosnian Fan Turnout
Despite it being a home fixture for Canada and their first-ever home match at a World Cup, Bosnian fans turned out in their droves, with up to 30,000 estimated to have made the trip to Toronto. While the estimated Bosnian contingent inside Toronto Stadium was put at 10,000, thousands more supporters still travelled to Ontario to experience the atmosphere.
Fan Perspective on Costs
The Mirror spoke with two Bosnian fans on the eve of their World Cup opener, though both are now resident in Sweden. They revealed that each had spent 10,000 euros (£8,630) on flights to Toronto and Los Angeles, solely to attend two matches. While they could afford the World Cup expenditure, one supporter, Sinan, expressed sympathy for the majority of "true fans" back home.
"We live in Sweden, actually, so we took the train to Copenhagen in Denmark," Sinan explained. "Then, we flew today to Toronto. But it cost, maybe 10,000 euros?" When questioned about World Cup pricing, Sinan added, "It's really too much. I think you miss out on the true fans by setting these prices. But, like everything else, everything is about money today."
