Qatar’s World Cup debut in 2022 was a tournament to forget, but four years later, the Gulf nation made history of a different kind. A stoppage-time own goal from Switzerland’s Miro Muheim secured Qatar’s first-ever World Cup point in a 1-1 draw against Group B favorites, a result that will be remembered more for the officiating chaos than the celebration.
A late twist and a landmark moment
The match began as expected, with Switzerland dominating possession and creating early chances. Breel Embolo converted a first-half penalty after Remo Freuler was fouled by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who received a yellow card for the challenge. The Swiss forward’s calm finish put his team ahead in the 17th minute, sparking celebrations among the red-clad supporters.
Qatar, however, refused to capitulate. Despite trailing, they absorbed pressure and nearly equalized late in the second half. The breakthrough came in the fourth minute of stoppage time, when Muheim’s attempted clearance ricocheted off Boualem Khoukhi and into his own net. The own goal, the fourth-latest game-tying goal in World Cup history, sent the Qatari players and fans into raptures at Levi’s Stadium.
Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui acknowledged the role of fortune but emphasized the team’s resilience. “We needed to have our plan, we needed to fulfill it,” he said. “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.”
VAR meltdown overshadows the result
The drama was not confined to the pitch. A technical fault in FIFA’s semi-automated offside system delayed the release of crucial VAR images, leaving fans and pundits questioning the legitimacy of the penalty. Gary Neville, commentating for ITV, summed up the frustration: “Everybody at home thinks it. Fifa are the host broadcaster and they have the semi-automatic decision that they can show us. Why are they not showing us?”
FIFA later confirmed a “brief technical outage” had prevented the onside animation graphic from being generated before the penalty was awarded. The governing body insisted the VAR workflow followed normal procedure and that lines drawn by officials showed Freuler was onside in the two situations immediately before the foul. Yet the absence of transparent evidence fueled skepticism, with Neville describing FIFA’s handling as “absolutely ridiculous.”
The controversy extended beyond the pitch, raising fresh doubts about the reliability of tournament technology. FIFA’s reliance on delayed or incomplete visuals risks undermining trust in the competition’s officiating, especially when decisions carry such high stakes.
Swiss frustration and Qatar’s progress
For Switzerland, the result was a bitter pill to swallow. Granit Xhaka admitted the team’s performance fell short. “Every draw feels like a loss,” he said. “We’re looking at ourselves. This performance was not good enough today to win.” Denis Zakaria echoed the sentiment, calling the missed chances “devastating.”
The Swiss created 26 shots on goal, their highest total in a World Cup game since 1966, yet failed to convert enough opportunities. Embolo’s penalty was their only successful strike, leaving them vulnerable to a late collapse they could ill afford.
For Qatar, the point marks a step forward. After their 2022 World Cup campaign ended without a single goal or point, this draw offers a glimmer of progress. The team’s discipline and composure under pressure were evident, even if the victory was ultimately delivered by an opponent’s error.
Qatar’s historic first World Cup point arrived amid a storm of officiating failures. The VAR outage exposed the fragility of tournament technology, while the own goal provided a fleeting moment of joy for a nation still finding its feet on the global stage. The result may be celebrated in Doha, but the manner in which it was secured leaves uncomfortable questions about FIFA’s readiness to manage the highest levels of the game.