Boualem Khoukhi’s goal on header in stoppage time earns Qatar 1-1 World Cup draw with Switzerland | CBC Sports

Qatar may be capable of lastly transfer ahead from its forgettable house World Cup 4 years in the past, scoring a stoppage-time goal to earn a surprising 1-1 draw with Group B favorite Switzerland on Saturday.

And oh, what a miss by the mighty Swiss.

One TV headline again house at French language public broadcaster RTS blared: “QATARSTROPHE.”

Boualem Khoukhi scored the equalizing goal on a header in the fourth minute of stoppage time to offer Qatar its first-ever level on the World Cup in entrance of 67,966 spectators at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

“Each draw seems like a loss,” Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka stated. “We’re ourselves. This efficiency was not ok as we speak to win.”

A number of of the Qatari gamers fell to the bottom in celebration of the late goal as others ran to one another to embrace.

“I used to be very proud about as we speak … our mentality, the self-discipline they confirmed as we speak,” Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui stated. “We wanted to have our plan we would have liked to satisfy. We have been a little bit bit fortunate typically, however you’ll want to consider and to wish to have this perception and little bit of luck in life and in soccer.”

Breel Embolo scored for Switzerland from the penalty spot in the primary half simply over per week after being cleared to enter the U.S. following a visa delay, however the Swiss did not capitalize on a number of different scoring possibilities.

Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria was requested by RTS if the outcome was a catastrophic state of affairs.

“Clearly,” he stated. “We did not play the type of match we would have liked to. We had so many possibilities and we missed so many in entrance of goal. At the moment we paid dearly.”

Within the thirteenth minute, Embolo was fouled by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who obtained a yellow card on the play. Abunada lay face down and appeared immobile for a few minutes earlier than he started to maneuver his legs and was capable of rise up once more.

When Embolo calmly despatched his penalty into the higher left nook in the seventeenth minute, it despatched the red-clad Swiss followers right into a dancing frenzy in the stands.

The 29-year-old ahead utilized for an pressing visa at the US embassy in Bern on June 3, someday after he was denied boarding the staff’s flight to journey for his third World Cup due to a 2018 legal conviction that was solely finalized in April.

Switzerland dominated the possession recreation on an unseasonably heat June afternoon — with sprinklers operating throughout a first-half break.

Hundreds of empty seats

There have been hundreds of empty seats scattered all through Levi’s Stadium, house of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Brazil and Colombia drew 70,971 two years in the past in a bunch match at Copa America. The stadium in Santa Clara staged the Tremendous Bowl solely 4 months in the past.

Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made a save in the second minute after Edmilson Junior acquired via the protection for a one-on-one. Kobel corralled the ball once more in the ninetieth on a close-range try by Ahmed Alaaeldin.

Switzerland is hoping to advance additional than its Spherical-of-16 exhibiting 4 years in the past earlier than dropping 6-1 to Portugal — when Goncalo Ramos delivered an unbelievable hat trick enjoying in place of benched star Cristiano Ronaldo. The loss prompted Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri to apologize to the followers.

The Swiss used consistency and expertise to go unbeaten via qualifying in opposition to Sweden, Kosovo and Slovenia. Coach Murat Yakin’s staff produced 4 wins and two attracts to safe its sixth straight World Cup look and hasn’t missed one since 2002, however the staff has by no means gotten past the quarterfinals.

Qatar needed to qualify via a playoff in November — beating the United Arab Emirates and Oman — after lacking a chance from its group stage in Asian qualifying.

The Gulf State nation grew to become the primary host nation to lose all of its group matches 4 years in the past. Qatar misplaced to Senegal, Ecuador and the Netherlands in the 2022 match, scoring its lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Senegal.

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