Key Points
- Qatar and Switzerland drew 1-1 at Levi's Stadium on June 13.
- Breel Embolo's 17th-minute penalty put Switzerland ahead.
- Qatar equalized in stoppage time on a Miro Muheim own goal.
- Both Group B teams open the 2026 World Cup with a point.
Qatar earned the first World Cup point in its history the hard way. The 2022 hosts, who lost all three matches on home soil four years ago, equalized in the fourth minute of stoppage time to draw Switzerland 1-1 in their Group B opener at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Saturday.
How it unfolded
Switzerland looked in control after Breel Embolo converted a penalty in the 17th minute, and the Swiss dominated long stretches of the second half. But Qatar refused to fold. Their late pressure paid off in the 90+4th minute, when a goalmouth scramble ended with the ball in the Swiss net — officially recorded as an own goal by Switzerland defender Miro Muheim. The leveler denied Switzerland a routine opening win.
What it means
The point is historic for Qatar, whose 2022 campaign as hosts ended without one. A point rescued in the final seconds is the kind of result a team builds belief on. For Switzerland, dropping two points against the group's lowest-ranked side is a missed opportunity that tightens Group B from the opening day — the same day Brazil and Morocco played to their own 1-1 draw across the country, as New York turned out for the World Cup.
Source: ESPN, FOX Sports
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