Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui believes his side have earned the right to keep dreaming after securing their first-ever World Cup point with a dramatic 1-1 draw against Switzerland.
Captain Boualem Khoukhi struck in stoppage time, heading home Homam Ahmed’s cross in the 94th minute to cancel out Breel Embolo’s first-half penalty and rescue a valuable point in Group B.
The result leaves all four teams in the group level after the opening round of matches and keeps Qatar firmly in contention for a place in the knockout stage.
“We achieved one dream when we arrived here, to be here, and now today is another little dream,” Lopetegui said.
“And we have the right to continue having the dream.”
Despite facing intense pressure for much of the match, with Switzerland registering 26 shots compared to Qatar’s seven, Lopetegui praised his players for sticking to the game plan and remaining disciplined throughout.
“We believe, we work, we resist, we are resilient,” he said. “In the end, we have one big award for us.”
The Spaniard said Qatar avoided abandoning their defensive structure after conceding early, knowing that opening up against a technically superior Swiss side could have proved costly.
Lopetegui also highlighted his team’s mentality and commitment, insisting he would have been proud of their performance even without the late equaliser.
“I was very proud about the mentality and discipline that they showed today,” he said.
Attention now turns to a crucial clash against co-hosts Canada on Thursday, with Lopetegui acknowledging that recovery will be key after an exhausting encounter.
Qatar have one day less to recover than Canada and must travel before the match, while many of their players are still adapting to the demands of World Cup football.
“It’s going to be tough and difficult,” Lopetegui said. “But we won our right to keep dreaming.”
