Bosnia end Qatar’s World Cup dream, all but seal knockout berth

Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their World Cup hopes alive with a crucial 3-1 victory over Qatar, securing third place in Group B and eliminating their opponents. The win positions Bosnia favorably to advance to the knockout stage as one of the top third-placed teams.

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The 18-year-old Alajbegovic broke the deadlock in the 29th minute, dancing past two tackles and firing an unstoppable shot past Mahmoud Abunada from the edge of the box, sending the thousands of Bosnian fans in the stadium wild.

The match's pivotal moment came in the 29th minute when 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic broke the deadlock. He displayed individual brilliance, evading two defenders before firing an unstoppable shot past the goalkeeper from the edge of the box, igniting celebrations among the Bosnian fans.

Bosnia extended their lead five minutes later. A cross from captain Edin Dzeko, in his 150th international appearance, deflected off a defender and found the net. Dzeko himself could have added a third goal, hitting the post, as Qatar appeared to be on the verge of collapse.

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Bosnia scored again five minutes later when a cross from captain Edin Dzeko, on his 150th international appearance, bounced off a defender and spun into the net.

However, Qatar captain Hassan Al-Haydos pulled one back just before halftime, offering a glimmer of hope. Despite Qatar's efforts to equalize in the second half, including pushing for chances after the introduction of their record goalscorer Almoez Ali, they failed to threaten the Bosnian goal significantly. Substitute Ermin Mahmic sealed the victory for Bosnia ten minutes from time, capitalizing on a loose ball in the box.

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The 40-year-old striker could have made it 3-0 shortly after, firing against the woodwork as Qatar were reeling and struggling to stay in the game.

Qatar finished bottom of the group with their first World Cup point, exiting the tournament after also being eliminated in the group stage in their previous appearance. Bosnia, with four points, now awaits the results of other group matches to determine their fate in the round of 32, potentially facing the United States.

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But Qatar captain Al-Haydos tapped home from close range just before the break, with Pedro Miguel hitting the post in added time as they pushed for a first-half equaliser.