Qatar earned their first-ever World Cup point after a late equaliser secured a 1–1 draw against Switzerland in a Group B match on Friday.

Axar.az reports, citing ESPN, Switzerland, led by captain Granit Xhaka, controlled much of the contest and took the lead as they aimed to build on their strong record at the tournament, having reached the knockout stages in four of their last five appearances.

However, Qatar responded late, with Boualem Khoukhi scoring in the closing stages to salvage a historic point for the Asian champions in their second World Cup finals appearance.

The result leaves both sides level in Group B, which also includes Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, after the latter teams opened their campaigns with a 1–1 draw.

Qatar, making their second World Cup appearance after debuting as hosts in 2022, will now look to build momentum as the group stage progresses, while Switzerland remains firmly in contention for qualification to the knockout rounds.