FOOTBALL WORLD CUP 2026: Draw for Qatar after dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Switzerland

Qatar scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser as they fought back to draw against Switzerland to claim their first-ever point at a World Cup finals.

Boualem Khoukhi headed home Homam El Amin’s cross in the 94th minute to spark wild celebrations among Julen Lopetegui’s squad.

It delivered a remarkable conclusion to a one-sided affair that Switzerland had dominated and had looked likely to be settled by Breel Embolo’s first-half penalty.

The Switzerland striker fired in after Remo Freuler was clattered by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, although television replays appeared to show that the Bologna midfielder had strayed marginally offside in the build-up.

At that stage Murat Yakın’s side were heading to the top of Group B with tougher tests to come in their next two fixtures against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Canada.

However, they were heavily punished for some profligate finishing and a drop in intensity in the closing stages.

Nottingham Forest forward Dan Ndoye failed to convert several good opportunities while Ruben Vargas and Embolo also missed gilt-edged chances.

And it allowed Qatar, who were outclassed for long periods, to snatch the most unlikely of points.

The greatest moment in Qatar’s football history?

Qatar stacked up numerous unwanted records as the host nation just four years ago.

They became the first to lose their opening fixture, the first to be eliminated after two games and the first to lose all three matches.

With one goal scored and seven conceded they were statistically the tournament’s worst team.

And for long stages on Saturday, it felt as though they were serving up more of the same.

Almost every metric available – shots on goal, possession, corners and expected goals – underlined Switzerland’s dominance, yet somehow, against all football logic, Khoukhi’s header provided arguably the greatest moment in their nation’s football history.

“I am very proud of the team,” said Qatar’s Spanish coach Lopetegui.

“I told them that even if we hadn’t scored the goal and didn’t draw I would have been proud of the mentality and discipline that they showed today.

“But fortunately we scored and that was history. We were a little bit lucky sometimes but you need to believe and work to have a little bit of luck in life and in sport. So we are very happy for the players.” (BBC)