Qatar has achieved its first-ever points in a World Cup tournament at the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup.
On June 14, Qatar (ranked 56th in the world) drew 1-1 with Switzerland (19th) in their opening Group B match at the Bay Area Stadium in San Francisco, California.
Previously, Qatar participated in the 2022 World Cup as the host nation but lost all three of its matches. However, this time, they secured a point against a strong Swiss team, marking a significant milestone.
Switzerland dominated the early stages of the match, taking the lead with a penalty goal from Breel Embolo in the 17th minute. They continued to apply pressure, outshooting Qatar 27 to 6.
Despite being down 0-1 and facing defeat, Qatar refused to give up. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, a cross from Huam Ahmed was headed in by Boualam Rufi, resulting in a dramatic equalizer.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, allowing Qatar to celebrate its first-ever World Cup points.
Meanwhile, Group B also saw Canada and Bosnia end their match in a 1-1 draw, leaving all four teams with one point each.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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