Qatar goal: Miro Muheim own goal (90+4) Switzerland goal: Embolo (17, penalty)
Qatar snatched their first point as Miro Muheim's own goal four minutes into added time earned them a 1-1 draw with Group B rivals Switzerland in the San Francisco Bay Area sunshine on Saturday lunchtime.
Breel Embolo’s 17th-minute penalty looked set to prove the difference against a Qatar side competing at the World Cup for the first time on foreign soil. Instead substitute Muheum, under pressure from Boualem Khoukhi, headed a Homam Ahmed cross past his own goalkeeper, Gregor Kobel, to leave the Swiss ruing their lack of cutting edge in a match in which they had 25 attempts.
Murat Yakin's men had much the better of the first half with Dan Ndoye threatening a couple of times already before Embolo’s goal, a spot-kick awarded after Mahmoud Abunada's foul on Remo Freuler. Ndoye might have had a first half hat-trick while midfielder Michel Aebischer saw a shot cleared off the line just before the interval.
Qatar had actually had the opening opportunity when Edmilson Junior ran clear following a slip by Manuel Akanji in the second minute. However, the winger placed his shot too close to goalkeeper Kobel. Despite Switzerland’s supremacy, the same player threated again just before the break but Kobel saved with his foot.
By comparison, the second period was largely a low-key affair until, after near-misses from Juan Vargas and Embolo, Muheim ensured a dramatic late twist. Switzerland are unbeaten in their last seven World Cup opening games but it's Qatar, tournament hosts last time out, who were celebrating at the finish.
Appearing in their fourth World Cup finals tournament, Ricardo Rodriguez and Granit Xhaka made Swiss history with their joint-record 13th appearance on the global stage.
Sources: FIFA Official
