Qatar earned their first-ever World Cup point on Saturday after captain Boualem Khoukhi scored a stoppage-time equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their Group B opener. The match, played in Santa Clara, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, ended in wild celebrations for the Asian Cup holders when Khoukhi found the net with a header in the fourth minute of injury time.
Switzerland had initially taken the lead early in the first half through a Breel Embolo penalty. The Swiss dominated the energetic match from the kickoff, recording 26 attempts on goal. However, they paid the price for their failure to score more during their period of dominance.
Coach Yakin attributed the late equalizer to an avoidable Swiss mistake. Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui stated that the result earns his team the right to keep dreaming at the tournament.