Asian Cup holders Qatar stage in harm time to attract 1-1 with Switzerland in World Cup 2026 opening recreation.
Printed On 13 Jun 2026
Boualem Khoukhi scored an equalising aim on a header within the fourth minute of stoppage time, and Qatar spoiled a dominant day by Switzerland in a 1-1 draw in Group B of the World Cup.
A number of of the Qatari gamers fell to the bottom on Saturday in celebration of the late aim, as others ran to one another to embrace.
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Breel Embolo scored for Switzerland from the penalty spot within the first half simply over per week after being cleared to enter the US following a visa delay, however the Swiss did not capitalise on a number of different scoring possibilities.
Within the thirteenth minute, Embolo was fouled by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who acquired a yellow card on the play. Abunada lay face down and appeared immobile for a few minutes earlier than he started to maneuver his legs and was capable of rise up once more.
When Embolo calmly despatched his penalty into the higher left nook within the seventeenth minute, it despatched the red-clad Swiss followers right into a dancing frenzy within the stands of Levi’s Stadium.
The 29-year-old ahead utilized for an pressing visa at the USA embassy in Bern on June 3, at some point after he was denied boarding the workforce’s flight to journey for his third World Cup due to a 2018 felony conviction that was solely finalised in April.
Switzerland dominated the possession recreation on an unseasonably heat June afternoon — with sprinklers working throughout a first-half break.
There have been hundreds of empty seats scattered all through Levi’s Stadium, house of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Brazil and Colombia drew 70,971 two years in the past in a bunch match on the Copa America. The stadium in Santa Clara staged the Tremendous Bowl solely 4 months in the past.
Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made a save within the second minute after Edmilson Junior received by the defence for a one-on-one. Kobel corralled the ball once more within the ninetieth on a close-range try by Ahmed Alaaeldin.
Switzerland is hoping to advance additional than its round-of-16 exhibiting 4 years in the past earlier than dropping 6-1 to Portugal — when Goncalo Ramos delivered an unbelievable hat-trick taking part in instead of benched star Cristiano Ronaldo. The loss prompted Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri to apologize the the followers.
The Swiss used consistency and expertise to go unbeaten by qualifying towards Sweden, Kosovo and Slovenia. Coach Murat Yakin’s workforce produced 4 wins and two attracts to safe its sixth straight World Cup look and hasn’t missed one since 2002, however the workforce has by no means gotten past the quarterfinals.
Qatar, led by Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, needed to qualify by a playoff in November — beating the United Arab Emirates and Oman — after lacking a chance from its group stage of Asian qualifying.
The Gulf state nation turned the primary host nation to lose all of its group matches 4 years in the past. It misplaced to Senegal, Ecuador and the Netherlands within the 2022 event, scoring its lone aim in a 3-1 loss to Senegal.
