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FWC: NED v JPN live on SN ExtraQatar produce late, stirring drama in World Cup opener
Jamie McCauley • June 14th, 2026 9:00 am
Qatar have scored deep into stoppage time to secure a draw with Switzerland at the World Cup | Photo: AP
Qatar might finally be able to move forward from their forgettable home World Cup four years ago, scoring a stoppage-time goal to earn a stirring 1-1 draw with Group B favourites Switzerland in California.
And oh, what a miss by the mighty Swiss.
Boualem Khoukhi scored the equalising goal on a header in the fourth minute of injury time on Saturday (Sunday AEST) to give Qatar their first-ever point at the World Cup, in front of 67,966 spectators at Levi's Stadium.
Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi produced the stirring scenes for his side against Switzerland | Photo: AP
"Every draw feels like a loss," Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka said.
"We're looking at ourselves. This performance was not good enough today to win."
Several of the Qatari players fell to the ground in celebration of the late goal as others ran to each other to embrace.
"I was very proud about today ... our mentality, the discipline they showed today," Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui said.
"We needed to have our plan we needed to fulfill. We were a little bit lucky sometimes, but you need to believe and to want to have this belief and bit of luck in life and in football."
Switzerland's Breel Embolo converted from the spot to give Switzerland their goal | Photo: AP
Breel Embolo scored for Switzerland from the penalty spot in the first half, just over a week after being cleared to enter the US following a visa delay, but the Swiss failed to capitalise on multiple other scoring chances.
Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria was asked by RTS if the result was a devastating scenario.
"Clearly," he said. "We didn't play the kind of match we needed to. We had so many chances and we missed so many in front of goal. Today we paid dearly."
In the 13th minute, Embolo was fouled by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who received a yellow card on the play. Abunada lay face down and appeared motionless for a couple of minutes before he began to move his legs and was able to stand up again.
Switzerland celebrated after Breel Embolo scored their opener | Photo: AP
When Embolo calmly sent his penalty into the upper left corner in the 17th minute, it sent the red-clad Swiss fans into a dancing frenzy in the stands.
The 29-year-old forward applied for an urgent visa at the United States embassy in Bern on June 3, one day after he was denied boarding the team's flight to travel for his third World Cup because of a 2018 criminal conviction that was only finalised in April.
Switzerland dominated the possession game on an unseasonably warm June afternoon, with sprinklers running during a first-half break.
There were thousands of empty seats scattered throughout Levi's Stadium, home of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. Brazil and Colombia drew 70,971 two years ago in a group match at Copa America. The stadium in Santa Clara staged the Super Bowl only four months ago.
Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made a save in the second minute after Edmilson Junior got through the defence for a one-on-one. Kobel corralled the ball again in the 90th on a close-range attempt by Ahmed Alaaeldin.
