Qatar grabs historic first World Cup point with stoppage-time equaliser against Switzerland

Qatar erased years of World Cup frustration with a dramatic late equaliser against Switzerland in their opening Group B match in San Francisco, earning a 1-1 draw that felt like a victory for the perennial underdogs. Breel Embolo had put Switzerland ahead from the penalty spot, but Khoukhi's goal in the final moments of stoppage time sent players, staff and travelling supporters into raptures.

Reaction in the Qatari camp

For a nation that exited its own home World Cup in 2022 with three straight defeats and a 1-7 aggregate scoreline, this was a moment of redemption. Striker Akram Afif, who led the line for a side that defended deep and relied on isolated counter-attacks, captured the mood after the final whistle.

“We are very proud of ourselves. Hopefully we can get three points in the next game.”

Head coach Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked by Spain on the eve of the 2018 tournament, is experiencing his first World Cup as a manager. His game plan, centred on defensive organisation and set-piece preparation, kept the Swiss at bay for long stretches.

Swiss frustration

Switzerland entered the match as clear favourites, having gone undefeated through six qualifying matches while scoring 14 goals and conceding just two. Their only previous meeting with Qatar ended in a 0-1 friendly defeat in 2018, and captain Granit Xhaka's side had warned against complacency. Embolo's penalty appeared to settle nerves, but the inability to find a second goal proved costly.

Swiss media had highlighted uncomfortable historical parallels: the team had also lost their only encounters with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Canada, the other two sides in Group B. Head coach Murat Yakin, a centre-back in the 1-3 reverse against Canada 24 years ago, now faces an uphill battle to win the group.

A team forged in adversity

Qatar's preparations were disrupted by the wider regional conflict. Two of four planned warm-up matches were cancelled because of the Iran war, and the squad managed only a 0-1 defeat to Ireland and a 0-0 draw with El Salvador in its two completed friendlies. Lopetegui said players had learned to live with air-raid alerts and distant explosions, making the point against Switzerland an even sweeter reward.

“We are ready to go beyond our limits.”

The only Qatar-based journalist to preview the match, Majed Alkhulaifi of "Estad Al-doha", had noted that defender Homam Ahmed is the sole European-based player in Lopetegui's squad (with Cultural Leonesa in Spain's third tier), underscoring the gulf in experience.

What comes next

Qatar will face co-host Canada in the early hours of Friday (local time), aiming to build on this result and keep hopes of a knockout-stage berth alive. Afif, who won two Asian Cup titles and was twice named Asia's best player, remains the team's talisman. The 29-year-old's next goal is a first World Cup goal involvement, and after the Swiss draw, his confidence is high.