Summary Qatar score late to take a stunning point and earn a 1-1 draw against Switzerland
CALIFORNIA (Reuters) - Qatar celebrated their first World Cup point in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland as captain Boualem Khoukhi headed in a stoppage-time equaliser to send the Gulf nation into jubilation on Saturday.
Khoukhi rose highest to thump in Homam Ahmed's cross on 94 minutes and cancel out a first-half Breel Embolo penalty, leaving the Swiss stunned and rueful after failing to convert 26 goal attempts to Qatar's seven.
The result left Group B wide open, with all teams locked on a point each following co-hosts Canada's 1-1 draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Qatar will be easily the most pleased among them, four years after their 2022 debut fell flat with a winless elimination on home soil.
The entire Qatar squad stormed on to the pitch in ecstasy after Khoukhi's header fizzed by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, giving Spaniard Julen Lopetegui a landmark result coaching his first World Cup match.
"We achieved one dream when we arrived here, to be here, and now today is another little dream," Lopetegui told reporters. "And we have the right to continue having the dream."
Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada was also naturally thrilled, having fouled Remo Freuler to hand the Swiss their 17th-minute penalty.
"This is the first point in the history of the Qatari national team. Praise be to God in all circumstances," said Abunada.
Switzerland may feel the footballing gods deserted them, though, having seen chance after chance go begging, with Dan Ndoye particularly wasteful in the first half.
It was all set up for the group favourites, though, when Abunada smashed into Freuler in the six-yard box.
Freuler ran onto a header by Embolo in the area, dinked the ball goalwards past Abunada and was met heavily by the stopper who came off second best in the clash.
Referee Said Martinez pointed straight at the spot but it took a long VAR check to confirm the penalty while a prone Abunada -- booked for the challenge -- was attended to by medical staff.
While Michel Aebischer racked up a sixth Swiss shot on goal, stopped on the line deep into first-half stoppage time, Qatar's attackers were left with scraps.
