Qatar recorded a memorable chapter in its history at the FIFA World Cup, earning its first point in the World Cup finals with a 1-1 draw against Switzerland.
The decisive moment of the match came in the fourth minute of extra time when Boulam Khokhi headed home Homam Al Amin’s superb cross, sending the Qatari fans at the stadium into a frenzy.
Switzerland were in complete control for most of the match and it looked like they were going to win easily.
93:59 – Boualem Khoukhi’s equalizer is the third-last for Qatar to score in the FIFA World Cup group stages (since 1966), after Silvestre Varela for Portugal and the United States in 2014 (94:34) and Luis Hernández for Mexico and the Netherlands in 2014 (94:34). Mexico v Netherlands (8994:091).
Irritation. pic.twitter.com/Fou7EI2eZR
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 13, 2026
The Swiss team took the lead in the first half with a goal by Briel Mbolo from the penalty spot.
The penalty was awarded after Remo Freuler was brought down by Qatari goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunda, although replays suggested some offside early in the attack.
Switzerland had several chances to strengthen their lead in the match, but Dan Ndoye, Ruben Vargas and Briel Mbolo kept missing important chances which cost them dearly in the end.
On the other hand, Qatar was under pressure during the game, but the team did not give up and continued to fight until the last minute.
The overtime goal not only changed the course of the match but also created a memorable moment in Qatari football history.
After the match, the Spanish coach of Qatar Julen Lopetegui praised the performance of his team and said that he is proud of the determination, discipline and fighting spirit of the players.
He said that luck favors the brave and his players did not give up their faith and hard work until the end, that they received the award with a historic point.
