Bosnia and Herzegovina have raced into a 3-1 lead over Qatar in a lively Group B contest at the FIFA World Cup 2026, a match that has already produced an own goal, a VAR review, several yellow cards and ten substitutions shared between the two benches. Both managers named their starting elevens well before kick-off, and once the players had worked through their pitch-side warm-up routines, the referee got the opening half under way.
Line-ups Confirmed, Players Warm Up
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar both confirmed their starting line-ups ahead of kick-off, after which the two squads spent time on their warm-up drills. Once that wrapped up, the opening half of this key Group B fixture got under way.
A Cagey Start With Chances at Both Ends
Bosnia and Herzegovina signalled their intent early. At the 1:11 mark, Ermedin Demirović let fly from distance with his left foot, a chance created by Ivan Šunjić, but Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada dived well to his right to keep it out. Abunada then fumbled soon after, at 2:31, handing Bosnia and Herzegovina a corner, and just before that, at 2:28, Ivan Šunjić himself had driven a left-footed effort from outside the box, set up by Karim Alajbegović, which Abunada again saved diving to his right.
Qatar responded with pressure of their own. Akram Afif won a free kick at the 3:54 mark after being fouled in his own defensive half, while in the same passage of play Ivan Šunjić was penalised for a foul. Just over three minutes later, at 7:05, Qatar earned an early corner conceded by Nikola Katić, and by the 9:06 mark Hassan Al-Haydos had also won a free kick deep in his own half.
Chances fell away mostly in midfield through the opening quarter-hour. Edmilson Junior was caught offside at 10:37, breaking down a promising Qatar move, while free kicks were shared at both ends: Issa Laye won one for Qatar at 9:46, Demirović's foul at the same mark handed Qatar another, and Arjan Malić was penalised at 9:06 to give the hosts a further set piece. Sultan Al-Brake was then punished for a foul at 11:16, handing Bosnia and Herzegovina a free kick, and in the 11th minute Arjan Malić himself won a free kick out on the right wing after being fouled.
Free kicks kept punctuating the game deep into the first half. In the 15th minute, Karim Alajbegović won one for Bosnia and Herzegovina in their own half, only for Jassim Gaber to be pulled up for a foul moments later in the same minute. Bosnia and Herzegovina came closest to breaking through in the 16th minute, when Ivan Bešić, set up by Ivan Šunjić, drove a fierce left-footed effort narrowly over the bar from distance. A minute later Karim Boudiaf put the ball behind his own goal line to gift Bosnia and Herzegovina a corner, and in that same 17th minute Bešić tried again from outside the box with his left foot, this time blocked by Qatar's defence after Esmir Bajraktarević had created the chance.
The 19th and 21st minutes also brought a string of stoppages. Pedro Miguel won a free kick for Qatar in the 19th minute after being fouled in defence, while Karim Alajbegović was penalised at the other end for fouling a Qatar player, gifting the hosts a set piece. Qatar also thought they had a good chance in the 19th minute, only for Akram Afif to be flagged offside. Two minutes later Jassim Gaber committed another foul to hand Bosnia and Herzegovina a further set-piece opportunity, and Ivan Bešić won a free kick in Qatar's half in that same 21st minute.
Bosnia and Herzegovina almost broke through in the 22nd minute when Karim Alajbegović struck a right-footed effort from outside the box, though it was blocked before it could reach Qatar's goalkeeper. Play was halted shortly after for a drinks break, before a separate stoppage for an injury to Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi briefly interrupted the match again; play resumed once he had received treatment.
Once the game restarted, Bosnia and Herzegovina won another free kick in the 26th minute through Karim Alajbegović, fouled on the left wing, and moments later Jassim Gaber was again penalised for a foul, giving the visitors yet another free kick. That same minute also brought a VAR intervention: around the 27-minute mark, an on-field decision was overturned after a video review.
Alajbegović Breaks the Deadlock
Bosnia and Herzegovina's pressure told in the 28th minute. Karim Alajbegović picked up the ball outside the box and curled a superb right-footed strike into the top right corner, with Ivan Bešić credited with the assist, to put Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 up.
Buoyed by the opener, Bosnia and Herzegovina kept up the pressure. They won a corner at 32:23, conceded by Qatar's Ahmed Fathy, and just before that, at 32:20, Ivan Bešić had also gone close with a fierce left-footed drive from outside the box that a Qatar defender did well to block in time. Nikola Katić then headed just over from the centre of the box at 32:54, from a Sead Kolašinac headed knock-down at a corner.
Own Goal Doubles the Lead
Qatar's afternoon took a turn for the worse in the 33rd minute. At 33:34, defender Sultan Al-Brake unfortunately turned the ball into his own net, doubling Bosnia and Herzegovina's advantage to 2-0.
Al-Haydos Halves the Deficit Before the Break
Bosnia and Herzegovina continued to look sharper without adding to their tally straight away. Ivan Bešić won a free kick in his own half at 35:29, and Hassan Al-Haydos was punished for a foul in the same passage of play, handing Bosnia and Herzegovina the resulting set piece. Two minutes later, at 37:54, Edin Džeko went agonisingly close to a third for Bosnia and Herzegovina, striking a left-footed effort from the centre of the box off a slick Karim Alajbegović through-ball, only to see it cannon back off the right-hand post.
Free kicks flowed at both ends soon after. Karim Alajbegović won one for Bosnia and Herzegovina at 39:32 in their own half, with Jassim Gaber pulled up for the resulting foul, while at 38:58 Ermedin Demirović was penalised for a handball, handing Qatar a free kick of their own.
Qatar finally got their reward in the 41st minute. Hassan Al-Haydos, teed up by Edmilson Junior, drove a powerful right-footed effort from close range straight down the middle of the goal at 41:51 to make it 2-1 and haul Qatar back into the contest.
Bosnia and Herzegovina won a corner at 43:10 thanks to Pedro Miguel, before Qatar threatened again through Boualem Khoukhi, whose right-footed effort from outside the box, set up by Karim Boudiaf, drifted wide of the far post at 44:13. Ermedin Demirović was penalised for a foul at 44:45, allowing Karim Boudiaf to win a free kick for Qatar in Bosnia and Herzegovina's defensive half in the same passage of play.
With the first half drawing to a close, the fourth official signalled five minutes of stoppage time. Qatar pushed for an equaliser in that added period: Pedro Miguel, set up by Hassan Al-Haydos, blazed a right-footed effort well over and wide from the right side of the box at 47:30, and just before that, at 47:18, Miguel had also struck a right-footed shot from the same area, this time assisted by Akram Afif, that came back off the left-hand post.
The first half eventually ended at 50:26 with Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead 2-1.
Half-Time Reshuffle
Both benches were busy at the interval. Bosnia and Herzegovina made two changes: Benjamin Tahirović replaced Ivan Šunjić, and Amar Memić came on for Arjan Malić. Qatar responded with a substitution of their own, sending on Abdulaziz Hatem in place of Jassim Gaber. The second half then began with the scoreline unchanged at Bosnia and Herzegovina 2, Qatar 1.
Second-Half Chances at Both Ends
The second half continued in a similar vein to the first, with free kicks conceded by both sides. Karim Alajbegović was penalised for a foul at 46:48, gifting Qatar's Pedro Miguel a free kick in his own defensive half in the same moment. In the 51st minute, Abdulaziz Hatem was penalised for a foul that gave Bosnia and Herzegovina a set-piece chance, while Benjamin Tahirović also won a free kick for Bosnia and Herzegovina in Qatar's half around the same time.
Qatar were forced into an early change in the 55th minute when Hassan Al-Haydos, who had picked up an injury at the 54-minute mark that briefly halted play, was replaced by Ahmed Al-Ghanehi. Al-Ghanehi was then penalised for a foul soon after coming on, while Sead Kolašinac won a free kick for Bosnia and Herzegovina in their own half around the same passage of play. Once the stoppage from Al-Haydos's injury ended, play resumed, and Qatar came close on the counter-attack in the 56th minute: Akram Afif, played in by Edmilson Junior, cut in from the left of the box and fired a left-footed effort narrowly wide of the left-hand post. Afif tried again in the 59th minute with a left-footed effort from outside the box, but this time could not keep his shot on target.
Play was halted once more at 61:27 for an injury to Bosnia and Herzegovina's Nikola Vasilj. Bosnia and Herzegovina used the stoppage to make a double change: Denis Hadžikadunić replaced Nikola Katić at the 63-minute mark, and shortly after, at 63:30, Edin Džeko made way for Ermin Mahmić. Play was confirmed ready to restart at 63:02 following the delay.
Free kicks continued to punctuate the game through the mid-60s. Bosnia and Herzegovina won one on the right wing at 64:28 after Ermin Mahmić was fouled, with Qatar's Sultan Al-Brake pulled up for the offence at the same mark. Qatar then won back-to-back corners: one at 66:32 after an error from Denis Hadžikadunić, and another at 67:11 following a mistake from Ermedin Demirović, giving the Gulf side a couple of promising set-piece opportunities.
The match paused for a drinks break at 68:09, with play resuming at 71:19. Qatar used the stoppage to make a change, sending on Almoez Ali in place of Karim Boudiaf at 71:14.
Bosnia and Herzegovina spurned a golden opportunity to extend their lead in the 75th minute. Esmir Bajraktarević, set up by Ermin Mahmić, struck a firm left-footed effort from outside the box that flew well over the bar and wide to the left. Free kicks followed soon after: Bosnia and Herzegovina won one in their own half at 76:01 after a foul on Amar Memić, with Qatar's Edmilson Junior penalised for the challenge.
Mahmić Restores the Two-Goal Cushion
The closing stages brought a flurry of cards, changes and, eventually, a third goal for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ahmed Fathy fouled at 77:29, gifting Bosnia and Herzegovina a free kick out on the left through Karim Alajbegović, who had been fouled in the same passage of play; Fathy was shown a yellow card at 77:38 for the crude challenge. Moments earlier, at 76:23, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Karim Alajbegović had seen a promising move broken up after being flagged offside.
Bosnia and Herzegovina won a corner at 78:57 after a mistake from Mahmoud Abunada. Qatar made two further changes in quick succession: Mohammed Al-Manai replaced Ahmed Fathy at 78:23, and Ahmed Alaa came on for Edmilson Junior at 78:15. Abunada then produced a fine save at 78:55, diving low to his left to deny Esmir Bajraktarević's powerful left-footed effort from outside the box, a chance created by Sead Kolašinac. Ivan Bešić also went close soon after, at 79:38, with a right-footed effort from outside the box, set up by Esmir Bajraktarević, that was again blocked.
Bosnia and Herzegovina finally made the breakthrough in the 79th minute. At 79:48, Ermin Mahmić struck a right-footed effort from the centre of the box straight down the middle of the goal, a chance created by Denis Hadžikadunić following a corner, to make it 3-1 to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Just before that, at 79:41, Stjepan Radeljić had also tried his luck with a left-footed effort from the left side of the box, but it was blocked.
Bosnia and Herzegovina made another substitution at 81:03, with Dženis Burnić coming on for Karim Alajbegović. Ermin Mahmić was then shown a yellow card at 81:35 for excessive celebration after his goal.
Late Fouls, Cards and Stoppages
The final quarter-hour continued to throw up incident at both ends. Qatar's Ahmed Alaa was penalised for a foul at 83:16, with Ivan Bešić winning the resulting free kick for Bosnia and Herzegovina in their own half. Denis Hadžikadunić was pulled up for a foul at 84:52, allowing Ahmed Alaa to win a free kick for Qatar out on the left wing. Ahmed Al-Ghanehi then went close for Qatar at 85:33, firing a right-footed effort from outside the box over the crossbar from a set piece created by Akram Afif.
Mohammed Al-Manai was penalised for a foul at 87:14, giving Ermedin Demirović a free kick for Bosnia and Herzegovina in their own defensive half. Play was disrupted again shortly after, at 87:25, when Bosnia and Herzegovina's Stjepan Radeljić picked up an injury, before the stoppage ended at 87:48 and both sides prepared to play out the closing stages.
As things stand, with the match still being played out, Bosnia and Herzegovina hold a 3-1 lead over Qatar in this Group B encounter, built on Karim Alajbegović's 28th-minute strike, Sultan Al-Brake's 33rd-minute own goal and Ermin Mahmić's finish in the 79th minute, against Hassan Al-Haydos's reply for Qatar just before half-time.
