Switzerland appeared to be on course for victory. But Qatar had other plans. The Asian side made history by scoring a dramatic late equalizer just moments before the end of second-half stoppage time.

Captain Boualem Khoukhi's superb header earned Qatar the first World Cup point in the nation's history. The 1-1 draw in Group B at Levi's Stadium in San Francisco, United States, has set up an intriguing battle in the group. The previous night, the other Group B fixture between Canada and Bosnia had also ended in a 1-1 draw.

This marked Switzerland's 13th World Cup appearance. Remarkably, the team had never been awarded a penalty at the tournament before. However, the Swiss capitalized on their first-ever World Cup penalty in the expanded 48-team tournament, with Breel Embolo converting from the spot to put his side ahead.

Switzerland tested Qatar from the outset with impressive attacking football. The European side could have taken the lead much earlier. As Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada attempted to repel a series of attacks, he committed a foul inside the penalty area.

The incident created a new chapter in Swiss World Cup history. Switzerland earned its first penalty from open play on the tournament stage. Statistics show that the referee awarded the Swiss a penalty in their 42nd World Cup match. Embolo made no mistake from the spot to give his team the lead.

Switzerland played in its first World Cup in 1934, making its debut at the second edition of the tournament. Although the Swiss have never been considered serious title contenders, they have regularly featured in the knockout rounds. The team had scored 55 goals in its previous 41 World Cup matches, none of them from a penalty kick. At the 2026 World Cup, the Red Devils finally ended that long wait.

However, Switzerland failed to turn its historic lead into victory. Despite creating several opportunities in the second half, the European side could not add to its tally. Time and again, Abunada stood firm to deny the Swiss attack.

The Asian champions continued searching for a way back into the match. Their persistence paid off in the fifth minute of six minutes of added time in the second half. A cross from the left found its way into the penalty area. Khoukhi, who had pushed forward from defense in a desperate attempt to rescue his team, rose at the perfect moment. He shrugged off his marker and powered a magnificent header into the net.

Qatar hosted the 2022 World Cup, which gave the nation its first opportunity to compete on football's biggest stage. However, the hosts exited the tournament after losing all three of their group-stage matches.