SANTA CLARA – Qatar celebrated their first World Cup point in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland as captain Boualem Khoukhi headed in a stoppage-time equaliser to send the Gulf nation into jubilation on Saturday.
Khoukhi rose highest to thump in Homam Ahmed’s cross on 94 minutes and cancel out a first-half Breel Embolo penalty, leaving the Swiss stunned and rueful after failing to convert 26 goal attempts to Qatar’s seven.
The result left Group B wide open, with all teams locked on a point each following co-hosts Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Qatar will be easily the most pleased among them, four years after their 2022 debut fell flat with a winless elimination on home soil.
The entire Qatar squad stormed on to the pitch after Khoukhi’s header fizzed by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
It was a galling outcome for the Swiss, who had taken the lead in the 17th minute with a penalty taken by Embolo after Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada smashed into Remo Freuler in the six-yard box.
Freuler ran onto a header by Embolo in the area, dinked the ball goalwards past Abunada and was met heavily by the Qatar stopper who came off second best in the clash.
Referee Said Martinez pointed straight at the spot but it took a long VAR check to confirm the penalty while a prone Abunada — booked for the challenge — was attended to by medical staff.
While Michel Aebischer racked up a sixth Swiss shot on goal, stopped on the line deep into first-half stoppage time, Qatar’s attackers were left with scraps.
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