Qatar celebrated its first World Cup point in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland when captain Boualem Khoukhi headed an injury-time equalizer to send the Gulf nation into jubilation on Saturday.
Khoukhi rose highest to finish off a Homam Ahmed cross in the 94th minute and cancel out a Breel Embolo penalty in the first half, leaving the Swiss stunned and regretful after failing to convert 26 attempts on goal to Qatar’s seven.
The result left Group B wide open, with all teams tied on one point each following co-host Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Qatar will easily be the most satisfied among them, four years after their 2022 debut failed with a winless home exit.
The entire Qatar team stormed the field in ecstasy after Khoukhi’s header missed Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, giving Spaniard Julen Lopetegui a historic result as a coach in his first World Cup match.
“We fulfilled a dream when we arrived here, to be here, and now today is another little dream,” Lopetegui told reporters. “And we have the right to continue having the dream.”
Naturally, Qatari goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada was also excited, as he fouled Remo Freuler to give the Swiss the penalty in the 17th minute.
“This is the first point in the history of the Qatari team. Praise God in all circumstances,” said Abunada.
“Honestly, the match was played with great determination on the part of everyone. Praise God, Lord of the worlds.”
However, Switzerland may feel that the football gods have abandoned them, having watched chance after chance go missing, with Dan Ndoye particularly wasted in the first half.
But everything was ready for the group’s favorites when Abunada crashed into Freuler in the six-yard box.
Freuler touched a header from Embolo in the area, nailed the ball towards Abunada and received a hard hit from the goalkeeper, who came out second best in the match.
Referee Said Martínez pointed directly to the spot, but a lengthy VAR check was necessary to confirm the penalty while Abunada, reprimanded for the challenge, was treated by medical staff.
While Michel Aebischer scored a sixth Swiss shot on goal, stopped on the goal line in first-half stoppage time, Qatar’s attackers were left with scraps.
Dangerous from Qatar
The Asian champions’ dangerman Akram Afif was well tied up but found space on the wing late in the half to set up Edmilson for a one-time shot that was saved by Kobel.
With Qatar camped in rows in front of goal, the match swung in circles in the second half and a series of substitutions either side of the drinks interval did nothing to break the deadlock.
That was until Ahmed found Khoukhi with a sumptuous cross to snatch the equalizer, leaving groups of thobe-wearing Qataris jumping in the stands.
Switzerland may still have a chance of getting out of the group, but the road ahead is more difficult and their inability to seal victory will be a concern for coach Murat Yakin.
They will face Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Los Angeles Stadium on Thursday, while Qatar, who fought back tenaciously to frustrate the classy Swiss, will head north to face co-hosts Canada in Vancouver on the same day.
Despite official attendance of 67,966, there were banks of empty seats at the 70,000-seat home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, even as the crowd reached the upper stands.
The red-clad Swiss were out in force as team captain Granit
