Boualem Khoukhi stepped up in stoppage time and, with a precise header, sealed Qatar’s 1-1 draw against Switzerland in a Group B World Cup match.
Just when it seemed the European side were headed for a comfortable victory, the Qatari defender found the ball inside the box and sent it into the back of the net in the fourth minute of stoppage time, silencing the Swiss celebration and securing a point at Levi’s Stadium.
Switzerland had taken the lead in the 17th minute thanks to a well-put penalty by Breel Embolo that nestled into the top left corner. The goal sparked celebrations among the thousands of fans dressed in red who had gathered in the stands.
The Swiss forward had faced difficult days leading up to the tournament. On June 3, he applied for an emergency visa at the U.S. Embassy in Bern after being barred from boarding the team’s flight to the World Cup due to a 2018 criminal conviction that was only resolved in April.
Throughout the match, Switzerland controlled possession and created the best scoring chances on a hot afternoon in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, they failed to translate their dominance into goals and ended up paying dearly for their lack of finishing.
Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was one of the standout players for the European side, preventing a goal on several occasions. Just two minutes in, he thwarted a one-on-one chance by Edmilson Junior, and near the end, he made a key save against Ahmed Alaaeldin.
The match also presented an unusual sight for a World Cup setting, with numerous empty seats in various sections of the stadium in Santa Clara, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.
Switzerland entered the tournament on the back of a solid qualifying campaign in which it remained undefeated against Sweden, Kosovo, and Slovenia. The team led by Murat Yakin racked up four wins and two draws to secure its sixth consecutive World Cup appearance since 2002.
For its part, Qatar, now under the leadership of Spaniard Julen Lopetegui, secured its World Cup berth through the playoff held in November, where it defeated the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
The draw leaves a bitter taste for Switzerland, which controlled the match for much of the afternoon, while Qatar celebrated a last-minute goal that allowed it to earn a valuable point in its World Cup debut.
