Qatar 1-1 Switzerland; Miraculous rescue of the Anabis in injury time

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): Qatar's national football team presented an unparalleled display of faith and fighting spirit in its first match of the 2026 World Cup against Switzerland, and managed to draw the game 1-1 with a 94th-minute goal from Boualam Khokhi, despite being on the verge of defeat.

The match was held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the sweltering California heat and the unprecedented noise of the fans created a difficult atmosphere for both teams.

Switzerland took the lead with a controversial penalty
The first half of the match was completely in Switzerland's hands. The country's national team, which is experiencing its sixth consecutive appearance at the World Cup, surrounded Qatar's goal with continuous attacks from the very beginning.

But the big thing happened in the 14th minute. With a delicate pass, Beryl Embolo played the ball deep into the Qatari defence to Michel Abisher. Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abonda came out of the box to clear the danger but brought down the Swiss striker and the referee gave a penalty without hesitation.

This was where the controversy began. Television footage showed that the Swiss player was probably offside at the start of the move. ITV pundit Gary Neville strongly objected to the decision, saying: “I think it was offside until proven otherwise. We all think so here and so do all the viewers at home.”

However, FIFA’s semi-automatic offside system confirmed the incident and the referee upheld his decision. Beryl Embolo stood behind the ball and, in an eerily calm atmosphere, chipped home a spectacular goal to give Qatar the lead. It was Switzerland’s first ever penalty at a World Cup.

Abonda; Qatar's strong defence against the Swiss storm
If Qatar survived the game, it was thanks to the outstanding performance of goalkeeper Mahmoud Abonda. Switzerland had 14 shots on goal by the end of the first half, seven of which were on target, but Abonda did not allow the gap to widen.

In the third minute, experienced Swiss defender Manuel Akanji gave the ball away in a bizarre way, putting Edmilson Jr. one-on-one with Gregor Kobel, but the Qatari striker's shot was so weak that it was easily saved. It was Qatar's best chance of the entire first half.

"Abonda kept Qatar in the game," said BBC pundit Clinton Morrison. "Credit to Qatar for not folding and staying in the game when they were 1-0 down."

Final-minute shock; Khokhli changed history
Everything was going according to plan for Switzerland. They had the ball and the pitch and it seemed as if they were guaranteed three points. Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka was in control of the game as Jurgen Yakin's men looked to score a second goal to seal the deal.

But football is always unpredictable. With the game entering the 90th minute plus 4 minutes and the referee was busy checking his watch, a moment of inattention turned the tables. Xhaka gave the ball away in midfield and Qatar had a quick counterattack.

The ball reached Hammam El Amin on the left wing. With exemplary precision, he crossed over the head of Qatar's experienced centre-back Boualam Khokhi. Khokhi headed the ball into the corner of Gregor Kobel's goal with a powerful, precise header.

The stadium was abuzz. The Qatari bench embraced in joy. The Swiss players, with their hands on their heads, could not believe it. The goal not only tied the game, but had a much bigger meaning: Qatar earned their first ever World Cup point.

After three losses in the 2022 World Cup as hosts, the Reds finally got to taste the taste of winning points at the world's biggest football event after 1,442 days of waiting.