Qatar holds Switzerland to a 1-1 draw in the FIFA World Cup 2026, with Boualem Khoukhi scoring a last-minute equalizer to turn the game around.
From the very beginning of the match, the Swiss team adopted an aggressive approach and maintained control of the ball. The team soon reaped the benefits of this.
In the 17th minute of the game, Qatari defender Mahmoud Abunada brought down Remo Freuler inside the penalty area, after which the referee pointed to the penalty spot without hesitation.
Star striker Breel Embolo made no mistake in converting the opportunity, sending the ball straight into the goal to give his team a crucial 1-0 lead.
The Swiss team created several more chances in the first half. Dan Ndoye and Michel Aebischer were a constant threat to the Qatari defense, but they couldn't double their lead.
Meanwhile, Qatar also launched some good counter-attacks. Two brilliant efforts from Edmilson Junior were excellently saved by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
The pace of the game slowed down a bit in the second half, but Switzerland managed to maintain their lead. In the final moments of the match, Juan Vargas and Embolo had golden opportunities to make the score 2-0, but they missed.
This result is a lesson for Switzerland that the match isn't over until the final whistle blows.
Just when it seemed that Switzerland would easily win the match, Qatar performed a miracle in the fourth minute of injury time.
Homam Ahmed delivered a precise cross from the left, which Boualem Khoukhi met with a powerful header after a high jump. The ball sailed over goalkeeper Kobel and into the net, sending the Qatari fans in the stadium into a frenzy.
This goal proved to be historic for Qatar, as it earned the team its first-ever World Cup point on foreign soil. On the other hand, failing to secure a win despite dominating the entire match was extremely disappointing for Switzerland. However, Ricardo Rodríguez and Granit Xhaka achieved a personal milestone by playing their 13th World Cup match.
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