Qatar earn first ever World Cup point with late goal against Switzerland

Qatar earned their first World Cup point in history on Saturday, snatching a 1-1 draw against Switzerland with a last-gasp equalizer. Boualem Khoukhi headed home in the 94th minute, sparking wild celebrations on the Qatar bench and canceling out Breel Embolo's earlier penalty.

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Qatar earned their first ever point at a World Cup.

Switzerland dominated the match, particularly in the first half, registering 26 shots compared to Qatar's few. Despite their overwhelming possession and chances, the wasteful favorites were punished for their inability to finish. Qatar, appearing in only their second finals, showed rustiness due to canceled warm-up matches, a consequence of the war in the Middle East.

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For their boss Julen Lopetegui, it was also a landmark moment as he coached his first World Cup match.

For Qatar's coach Julen Lopetegui, it marked his first World Cup match, having been controversially sacked by Spain before the 2018 tournament. Switzerland, aiming for the knockout stages for the fourth consecutive time, will be concerned by their lack of a killer instinct. Their next matches are against Bosnia and co-hosts Canada.

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The Swiss are seeking to progress to the knockout stages for the fourth consecutive World Cup but their inability to kill off a match they dominated will worry coach Murat Yakin.