Qatar finally exorcised the ghosts of their disappointing home World Cup campaign four years ago, snatching a dramatic 1-1 draw against Group B favourites Switzerland to secure the nation's first-ever point in FIFA World Cup history on Saturday.
A stoppage-time equaliser, later ruled an own goal off Swiss defender Miro Muheim after Boualem Khoukhi's header, sparked wild celebrations among the Qatari players and supporters at Levi's Stadium, where 67,966 spectators witnessed a historic moment for the Gulf nation.
Having lost all three matches during their debut appearance in 2022, Qatar's latest result marked a major milestone and gave Julen Lopetegui's side renewed belief in their campaign.
Qatar's Resilience Pays Off
"We achieved one dream when we arrived here, to be here, and now today is another little dream. And we have the right to continue having the dream," Lopetegui said after the match. "We believe, we work, we resist, we are resilient. In the end, we have one big award for us."
Switzerland appeared on course for victory after Breel Embolo converted a 17th-minute penalty to cap an eventful week for the striker, who had only recently resolved visa issues that initially threatened his participation in the tournament. The Swiss dominated possession and created several opportunities to extend their lead, but failed to make their superiority count.
Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada recovered after a worrying collision early in the contest, while Gregor Kobel denied Edmilson Junior and Ahmed Alaaeldin as the Asian side kept pushing for an equaliser. Their persistence paid off deep into injury time when Khoukhi rose highest to meet a cross, with the ball deflecting off Muheim and finding the net to hand Qatar a priceless point.
Several Qatari players collapsed to the turf in celebration while others embraced in scenes of pure emotion.
Swiss Rue Missed Chances
The result left Switzerland frustrated after letting victory slip away. "We're looking at ourselves. This performance was not good enough today to win," captain Granit Xhaka admitted.
Coach Murat Yakin was equally disappointed, describing the draw as two points dropped. "We created very good chances, but unfortunately we were not always efficient. Maybe we were not smart enough, not precise enough in the end," Yakin said. "It really hurts a lot. Now we have to get back to the drawing board and come back stronger."
Denis Zakaria echoed the sentiment, admitting Switzerland had paid dearly for their wastefulness in front of goal.
While the Swiss were left to ponder what might have been, Qatar celebrated a landmark result that could finally help them move beyond the painful memories of 2022.
Qatar next face Canada on Friday, while Switzerland will look to bounce back against Bosnia and Herzegovina as Group B begins to take shape.
