Lopetegui delighted as Qatar snatch historic World Cup point against Switzerland
Qatar earned the first World Cup point in their history after battling back to secure a dramatic 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their Group B encounter at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday night, June 13, 2026.
The Swiss appeared destined to begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with all three points after Breel Embolo converted a first-half penalty. However, Qatar refused to give up and were rewarded deep into stoppage time when veteran defender Boualem Khoukhi headed home a late equaliser.
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Following the historic point, Qatar’s head coach Julen Lopetegui was delighted; “I am very proud of the team,” said Qatar’s Spanish coach.
“I told them that even if we hadn’t scored the goal and didn’t draw I would have been proud of the mentality and discipline that they showed today.
“But fortunately we scored, and that was history. We were a little bit lucky sometimes but you need to believe and work to have a little bit of luck in life and in sport. So we are very happy for the players,” he said.
Balanced affair
The result leaves Group B finely balanced, with all four teams sitting on one point after the opening round of matches. Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina had also shared the spoils in the group’s first fixture.
Switzerland entered the contest as favourites and created numerous opportunities throughout the match. Murat Yakin’s side dominated possession and generated a host of chances but lacked the clinical finishing needed to put the game beyond Qatar’s reach.
The first major opportunity arrived early when Qatar’s Edmilson found himself through on goal following a defensive error, only to fail to capitalise. Switzerland responded with chances of their own, as Dan Ndoye squandered a promising opening after a clever cut-back from Ricardo Rodriguez.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute. The referee pointed to the spot after Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada brought down Michel Aebischer inside the penalty area. Embolo stepped up and calmly sent Abunada the wrong way to hand Switzerland a 1-0 advantage.
Despite taking the lead, Switzerland failed to make their superiority count. Ndoye missed additional opportunities before halftime, while Qatar continued to threaten on the counterattack. Kobel was called into action to deny Edmilson shortly before the interval.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Switzerland controlling much of the play but lacking precision in front of goal. Granit Xhaka fired wide from distance, while Embolo squandered a late chance after working his way into a dangerous position.
Their inability to extend the lead ultimately proved costly.
In the fourth minute of added time, Homam Ahmed delivered a high cross toward the far post. Khoukhi timed his run perfectly and powered a header beyond Kobel, sparking wild celebrations among the Qatari players and supporters.
The late goal ensured Qatar claimed a deserved share of the points after a determined display and prevented Switzerland from taking control of the group standings.
Penalty controversy
The match also generated discussion over Switzerland’s penalty award. Television pundits questioned why FIFA did not display the semi-automated offside graphic after Aebischer appeared marginally offside in the buildup.
Officials later confirmed the technology had judged the midfielder to be onside, though the absence of a visual explanation drew criticism from several commentators.
For Switzerland, the draw will feel like a missed opportunity after failing to convert their dominance into victory. For Qatar, meanwhile, the result represents a landmark moment as they finally registered their first point on football’s biggest stage.
