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2022 World Cup hosts score late to stun Switzerland in friendly

LUGANO: Qatar stunned eighthranked Switzerland 1-0 in an international friendly as Akram Afif ’s late goal gave the 2022 World Cup hosts a surprise victory.

Afif scored on a breakaway with four minutes remaining to send an early message that 96th-ranked Qatar may be catching up to the more established football powers four years before they play in their first World Cup.

After Qatar won possession near the halfway line, Afif ran onto a throughball and rounded goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo before shooting into an empty net.

Switzerland, who reached the last 16 in this year’s World Cup in Russia and had kept nine clean sheets in their past 10 home matches, had wasted a number of chances to put the game away earlier and hit the post twice.

The Swiss came into the game as massive favourites after putting six goals past Panama and Iceland this year, as well as scoring five against Hungary in 2017.

The last time Qatar played a European team, they lost 2-1 at home against minnow Liechtenstein last December.

Their last win against a European team was a 1-0 victory against Andorra last August. The tiny desert nation was awarded the 2022 World Cup in a disputed FIFA vote in 2010 despite never having qualified for the tournament before.

Afif also drew a save from Mvogo in the 23rd minute, while Switzerland went closest in the 36th when Micahel Lang headed a corner off the inside of the right post.

Afif thought he had given Qatar the lead at the end of the first half but he was offside when Ali flicked the ball on.

Switzerland made wholesale changes at half-time but even the introduction of Liverpool midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri didn’t help – although his pass set up Christian Fassnacht for a shot that hit the crossbar.