Qatar have finally gotten off the mark at the football World Cup — and they did it in the most dramatic fashion possible. With a header in the fourth minute of second-half injury time, Boualem Khoukhi rescued a 1-1 draw against the strongly fancied Switzerland in Group B. That single strike also handed Qatar the very first point in their World Cup history.
A Point Snatched From the Jaws of Defeat
The contest began in Switzerland's favour. In the 17th minute, Breel Embolo converted a penalty to put his side 1-0 ahead. For a long stretch it looked as though that lead would settle the result and that a Swiss win was certain. But just before the final whistle, in front of 67,966 spectators at Levi Stadium, Khoukhi rose to meet the ball and powered a header into the net to level the score.
The moment the goal went in, the scene on the pitch transformed. Several Qatar players threw themselves to the ground in celebration of the crucial equaliser, while others sprinted to embrace one another. Four years ago, hosting the World Cup on home soil, Qatar had failed to impress, and even in this opening match the side did little to stand out — yet that late goal earned them a point to remember.
Switzerland Punished for Wasted Chances
For Switzerland the outcome was a frustrating one, because the team carved out several good openings but failed to take them. That wastefulness proved costly, leaving them to settle for a single point instead of all three.
Midfielder Granit Zaka made no attempt to hide his disappointment. ‘‘Every draw feels like a loss. We are assessing ourselves. Today's performance was not enough to win,’’ he said.
Echoing that view, midfielder Denis Zakaria admitted the team had fallen short of its own standards. ‘‘We certainly did not play the way we wanted to. We got plenty of chances to score, but we wasted many of them. We paid a heavy price for it,’’ he said.
Coach Proud of His Side
In the Qatar camp, the mood could not have been more different. Head coach Julen Lopetegui was full of praise for his players' spirit. ‘‘I am very proud of today's performance. Our players showed discipline and carried out the game plan well. At times luck was on our side too, but in life and in football you need belief as well as a bit of luck,’’ he said.
