Kyle Larin Starts Canada’s World Cup Opener at 3 p.m. ET
kyle larin is set to suit up for Canada when the World Cup opener kicks off Friday at 3 p.m. ET in Toronto. The former UConn forward enters Group B with a direct path for Huskies fans to follow him on the sport’s biggest stage.
Larin’s UConn production
Larin arrived with UConn’s recruiting Class of 2013 and immediately became a central scorer. He started 22 of 23 games that season, scored 14 goals and added three assists, then followed with 21 points in 2014.
That 2014 run included nine goals in 16 games and three assists, enough to earn the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year award. The two-year stretch gave UConn a forward who finished chances consistently and forced opponents to account for him every time he stepped on the field.
Canada Opens Against Bosnia
Canada begins Group B play against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, June 12, at 3 p.m. ET in Toronto. Friday’s opener will air nationally on FOX in the United States, giving UConn fans a clear window to watch Larin’s first match of the tournament.
The opener comes as the World Cup starts Thursday and expands to 48 countries across 12 separate groups of four teams each. Canada is trying to move through pool play with two points for a win and one point for a draw, and the top two teams in each group plus eight third-place teams advance to a 32-team single-elimination tournament.
From UConn to No. 1
After his college surge, Orlando City SC selected Larin No. 1 overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, making him the third Huskies player drafted first overall. That path explains why his World Cup turn is more than a roster note for UConn followers; it is another stop in a career that moved quickly from Storrs to the top of the pro draft board.
Canada’s schedule now gives him two more group-stage dates beyond the opener, against Qatar on Thursday, June 18, at 6 p.m. ET in Vancouver and Switzerland on Wednesday, June 24, at 3 p.m. ET in Vancouver. If Canada pushes through Group B, the tournament runs toward the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
