Qatar marked a significant milestone by earning their first-ever World Cup point, achieving a 1-1 draw against Switzerland. The dramatic equalizer came in stoppage time when Miro Muheim, under pressure from Boualem Khoukhi, inadvertently directed Homam Ahmed’s cross into his own net in the 94th minute, erasing Breel Embolo’s first-half penalty and leaving the Swiss team in disbelief after they squandered numerous scoring opportunities.
This result has left Group B wide open, with all teams now tied on a single point following Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Among the teams, Qatar emerged with the most satisfaction. Four years after their disappointing 2022 World Cup debut, which saw them exit without a win on home soil, the Qatar players erupted in joy as Muheim’s unfortunate header flew past goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. This match also marked a significant achievement for the Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, who was making his World Cup coaching debut.
“We achieved one dream when we arrived here, to be here, and now today is another little dream,”
Lopetegui expressed to the media. “And we have the right to continue having the dream.”
Lopetegui, who was set to lead Spain during the 2018 World Cup but was dismissed prior to the tournament for agreeing to join Real Madrid, celebrated the moment with his team.
Qatar’s goalkeeper, Mahmoud Abunada, shared in the excitement, particularly as he had committed a foul against Remo Freuler that led to Switzerland’s 17th-minute penalty.
“This is the first point in the history of the Qatari national team. Praise be to God in all circumstances,”
Abunada remarked. “Honestly, the match was played with great determination from everyone. Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.”
Meanwhile, Switzerland was left lamenting their missed opportunities, particularly as Dan Ndoye was notably ineffective during the first half despite several chances.
The match began favorably for the Swiss when Abunada collided with Freuler in the penalty area. Following a header from Embolo, Freuler managed to get a shot off but was met with Abunada’s challenge, resulting in a penalty awarded by referee Saíd Martínez after a lengthy VAR review confirmed the decision. Freuler appeared to be offside at the moment of the header, but FIFA did not provide evidence to support the call.
As the first half drew to a close, Switzerland’s Michel Aebischer had a shot cleared off the line, while Qatar’s forwards struggled to create clear chances. Akram Afif, often tightly marked, managed to find space toward the end of the half and set up Edmilson, whose effort was saved by Kobel.
The second half saw both teams make numerous substitutions, but the game remained uneventful until Ahmed delivered a brilliant cross that Khoukhi attacked, leading to Muheim’s fateful header that secured a draw, igniting celebrations among Qatar supporters.
Although Switzerland still holds aspirations of advancing from the group, their failure to secure a win raises concerns for coach Murat Yakin. The Swiss squad will next face Bosnia and Herzegovina at Los Angeles Stadium on Thursday, while Qatar, having shown impressive defensive resilience against the skilled Swiss side, will head to Vancouver to meet Canada on the same day.
Despite an official attendance of 67,966, there were noticeable gaps among the seats at the 70,000-capacity venue, home to the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, although the crowd extended to the upper levels. Swiss fans were well represented, with captain Granit Xhaka and veteran defender Ricardo Rodriguez making their 13th World Cup appearances, surpassing Xherdan Shaqiri, only for the late equalizer to overshadow their milestone achievements.
