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Qatar claimed a historic first World Cup point as defender Boualem Khoukhi powered home a 94th-minute header to snatch a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their opening Group match, stunning a Swiss side that had dominated for long stretches but could not find a finishing touch to match their ambition.
Breel Embolo's first-half penalty had put Switzerland firmly in control, and with 26 shots over the course of the match, the result felt like theirs to lose. They duly lost it.
The Swiss took the lead on 13 minutes when goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada clattered into Remo Freuler, and Embolo coolly sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot. From there, Switzerland controlled the tempo under a blazing Californian sun, with Granit Xhaka firing narrowly over from distance and Embolo poking another effort into the side netting, but the second goal never came.
Qatar, appearing in only their second World Cup and badly underprepared after regional conflict forced the cancellation of two warm-up friendlies, barely threatened, managing just their third match since December. Yet they survived.
With the clock deep into stoppage time, 35-year-old Khoukhi rose at the back post to bullet a header home, sending the Qatar bench into wild celebration and delivering the Gulf nation something no Qatari side had ever managed at a World Cup finals.
It was also a landmark evening for Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui, 59, who had long been denied a World Cup debut. The Spaniard was dismissed by Spain days before the 2018 tournament in Russia after secretly agreeing to take over at Real Madrid without informing the Spanish Football Federation.
Both sides are back in action Thursday, with Switzerland facing Bosnia in Los Angeles and Qatar taking on co-hosts Canada in Vancouver.
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