Qatar secure maiden World Cup point with late equaliser against Switzerland

Qatar’s campaign started on a high as the reigning Asian Cup champions secured maiden World Cup points, already bettering their tally at home four years ago. 

Qatar secured their first FIFA World Cup point ever against Switzerland, courtesy of a dramatic late equaliser against Switzerland at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. 

Al Annabi were trailing after Breel Embolo’s penalty in the first half and in a game mostly kept alive by Mahmoud Abunada’s resilience between the sticks, it was the Qatari captain Khoukhi Boualem that rose up to the occasion to meet Homam Al-Amin’s cross in the 94th minute. 

The ball flew past Gregor Kobel in the Swiss goal, and Khoukhi reeled away in celebration. In the stands, Qatari fans in their gleaming white thobes twirled their headgear aloft in raucous delight, having been gifted an unforgettable late moment.

The only dampener came just around an hour after the full time whistle, after the last echoes of the Maroon fans had died down in Santa Clara, when FIFA announced that the goal would not be credited to Khoukhi, but rather be recorded as an own goal by Swiss defender Miro Muheim.

It felt as though a small piece of history had been snatched away from Khoukhi and the supporters who had celebrated his name, even if slow-motion replays left little doubt that Muheim’s final touch had turned the ball in.

All said and done, the scoreline didn’t change with it, and that’s all that will really matter. It’s a result that leaves each team with a point apiece in Group B as the clash between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina had also ended in a 1-1 stalemate a day earlier. 

Qatar will now go into their next game against co-hosts Canada in Vancouver with renewed belief and momentum, after what transpired in their eventful opening clash.

Despite starting the game on a high, it was Abunada’s late challenge that gave away the penalty but the 25-year-old shotstopper only got better as the day progressed for Qatar. 

The Al Rayyan goalkeeper brought down Remo Freuler inside the box in a sequence that sparked debate over whether the Swiss midfielder was offside. Embolo converted from the spot to make it 1-0 in the 17th minute. 

Qatar’s outing till then had been satisfactory and contrasting compared to the nervy initial minutes that marked their World Cup debut at home against Ecuador in 2022. Lopetegui had opted for just one change from the El Salvador friendly, slotting Assim Madibo in the midfield. Ayoub Al-Oui and Issa Laye made it to the starting eleven alongside Yusuf Abdurisag, all three rewarded on the back of a recent set of stellar performances. 

Edmilson Junior found himself at the end of the game’s first chance in just the second minute but could not make it count as Kobel pulled off a save from close range. The Swiss custodian denied the Qatari winger again with two minutes left in the first half. 

As dominant as Switzerland were for the rest of the game, it was Abunada who kept them off the second with five saves from inside the box and a man-of-the-match-winning performance. 

On the other half, however, Qatar looked illustrious off the ball and despite failing to offer much in front of goal, held up just fine. Karim Boudiaf’s effort from long range after coming on, in addition to Ahmed Alaa’s tame effort in the last minutes of regular time were all that Qatar could afford to put together. 

When the moment came, however, Khoukhi delivered. Al-Amin, who had been kept busy on the flank by Dan Ndoye, floated a looping cross inside the box, and the Qatari captain rose with purpose, ultimately forcing Muheim to send the ball into the top corner, and the Qatari fans into pandemonium.

Khoukhi, a man who has delievered in defining moments for Al-Annabi throughout his career, slid onto the ground, embraced by the enormity of his actions, before being mobbed by his jubliant mates. Pedro and Ahmed Fathy went wild in front of the crowd, clutching their badges. It was a thoroughly fitting end to a game that saw Qatar give their all against a superior opponent who made the costly mistake of taking them lightly.

Those celebrations will now be on repeat on everyone’s minds for quite some time. But Lopetegui’s men will look to quickly turn the page, recover from what must have been a truly taxing effort, and attempt to create more history.