Bosnia extends lead over Qatar with Al-Brake own goal in World Cup
The clash between Bosnia and Qatar for the World Cup continues with intense emotions, with the Bosnian team leading 2-0 in a dynamic first half. The second goal came in an unusual way, with an unfortunate deflection that resulted in an own goal for the Qataris, extending the Bosnian advantage and solidifying their position in the match.
Hectic pre-game and important absences in Qatar
Expectations for the duel were high, with teams from Bosnia and Qatar preparing to take the field. Simultaneously, another decisive Group B match was played between Canada and Switzerland, adding an extra layer of strategy and result calculation for all teams involved in the group. Before the opening whistle, the national anthems were sung, and players from both nations stepped onto the pitch, ready to compete.
The Qatar team, led by coach Julen Lopetegui, faced the game with significant absences. Players Madibo and Homam Ahmed were suspended, as a result of expulsions in the previous match against Canada, which ended in a 6-0 defeat. Madibo’s absence was particularly felt, as the midfielder was suspended for five games, a severe punishment due to a foul that caused a fracture in Canadian Koné’s left leg. These losses certainly impacted the Qatari team’s tactical formation and options from the beginning.
Opening moves and the first Bosnian goal
The game started busy in minute zero of the first half, with Kolasinac advancing from the left and crossing the ball, which ended up hitting the marker and going out the side, indicating Bosnia’s offensive intention. Shortly afterwards, Demirovic received the ball at the edge of the area, turned quickly and finished with his left leg, requiring a good save from Abunada to avoid what would be the first goal of the match. The initial pressure from Bosnia was evident.
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In the second minute, it was Sunjic’s turn to take a risk from outside the area, receiving the ball at the edge of the penalty area and hitting it with a left-footed shot. Goalkeeper Abunada jumped to the left side and spread the ball for a corner, demonstrating that Qatar would have a hard time with the European attacks. The corner was taken by Basic and, after the defense cleared the first ball, Sunjic caught the rebound, but shot under pressure, keeping the score unchanged.
In the fourth minute, Afif was orchestrating the play in the center circle when he was brought down by Sunjic, resulting in a foul awarded in favor of the Qatari number 11. Soon after, Bajraktarevic tried a dangerous cross from the right in search of Dzeko, but put excessive force on the ball, which went into goal. In the sixth minute, Katic tried to trigger Malic, but a wrong pass gave Qatar a throw-in in the attacking field. Afif, active again, took a rehearsed corner in the seventh minute, but the execution was inaccurate, damaging the offensive construction.
Bosnia continued to look for spaces, with Sunjic using Demirovic, but the Qatari defense prevailed. After ten minutes, Bajraktarevic passed the ball to Dzeko, who attempted a first-time assist for Demirovic, but the ball was intercepted. The Bosnian players complained about a possible touch by Khoukhi in the area, but the Venezuelan referee did not signal anything. In the eleventh minute, Malic was brought down by Al-Brake on the baseline, guaranteeing a new aerial ball for Bosnia, highlighting the intensity of the dispute for possession.
Twelve minutes into the game, Qatar had a good chance to counterattack after a Bosnian free kick. Afif received the ball but went too far forward, allowing Sunjic to recover and disarm the attacker, frustrating a promising opportunity for the Asian team. In the next move, a ball raised in the Qatari area was quickly cut by the defense. Edmilson Júnior, who had been hit and was short of breath, recovered and was sent on the right wing, but Kolasinac got the better of the dispute, with the referee signaling a lack of the Qatari attack in the 15th minute.
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Bosnia persisted in its offensive rhythm. Sunjic played the ball to Basic in the central midfield, who adjusted it and shot left-handed, scaring goalkeeper Abunada, with the ball going over the crossbar in the 16th minute. A minute later, Bajraktarevic passed to Basic on the edge of the area, who finished left-footed again, but the ball deflected off the defense and went out for a corner, maintaining the pressure. Basic took the corner in the small area, but Gueye Laye headed it away, relieving the Qatari defense.
Qatar tried to balance the game, trying to circulate the ball and find spaces in the Bosnian defense, but possession didn’t last long, and the Europeans quickly regained control of the match. In the 20th minute, Malic crossed from the right, the defense cut it, and the remainder fell to Basic. The number 13 called Demirovic and, when asking for the return, he was knocked down by Jassem Gaber. A dangerous free kick, close to the half-moon, was awarded to Bosnia, increasing the expectation of a goal.
Alajbegovic took the free kick hard and hit Khoukhi in the face, who was in the wall, causing a scare. In the 22nd minute, the referee stopped the match for a hydration break, a crucial moment for the players to cool down and listen to the final instructions from their coaches. During this break, the situation in group B indicated that Canada and Switzerland were also drawing 0-0, which did not change the positions in the group and was a worrying result both for Qatar, which would be eliminated, and for Bosnia, which would have few points and little chance of qualifying.
After the end of hydration, at 25 minutes, the game was restarted. A minute later, Alajbegovic received the ball on the left, tried to infiltrate, but was fouled by Jassem Gaber before entering the area, creating another aerial ball opportunity for Qatar. In the 27th minute, Bajraktarevic raised the ball in the area in search of Katic, who ended up touching it last, resulting in a goal kick for the opponent. At this point in the game, the shooting statistics showed 5 attempts from Bosnia, with 2 of them successful, against none from Qatar.
In the 28th minute, Bosnia opened the scoring with a great goal from Alajbegovic. The number 19 started the play in the middle on the left, dribbled past two markers, pedaled towards the third, adjusted the ball and shot hard from the edge of the area on the right side. The shot was powerful, in the left corner of the goal, and Abunada, despite stretching, was unable to reach the ball. This goal put Bosnia ahead and changed the dynamics of the game and the group’s projections.
With Alajbegovic’s goal, Bosnia reached four points in the table, approaching the classification as the best third place, a strategic position to advance in the competition. Meanwhile, the match between Canada and Switzerland remained 0-0 after 31 minutes of the first half, a result that directly impacted Qatar’s chances of advancing in the World Cup.
In the 32nd minute, Malic reached the baseline and crossed low. The Qatari defense partially cleared the ball, which fell to Basic. O volante da Bósnia finalizou de canhota da entrada da área, a bola desviou na defesa e saiu em escanteio. Afterwards, Basic took a corner shot at the first post, there was an initial deflection, and Katic tried to head it, but sent it over the crossbar, far from the goal.
Own goal increases Bosnia’s lead
In the 33rd minute of the first half, Bosnia extended their lead with an own goal. Kolasinac crossed to Dzeko at the far post. The experienced Bosnian striker took the first shot in search of Bajraktarevic, but the ball deflected off Al-Brake, the Qatari left-back, deceiving the goalkeeper and going into the goal. With this unfortunate move for Qatar, the score went to 2-0 in favor of Bosnia.
Game score in progress
- 01′ 1T:Demirovic makes the first shot of the game, demanding a good save from Abunada.
- 04′ 1T:Afif is fouled in a crucial move in midfield, indicating the start of a strategic battle.
- 16′ 1T:Basic takes a risk from outside the box with a dangerous left-footed shot, over the crossbar.
- 22′ 1T:Hydration stop on the field, a time for teams to readjust tactics.
- 28′ 1T:Alajbegovic scores a great goal, opening the scoring for Bosnia after an individual play on the left.
- 33′ 1T:Al-Brake’s own goal extends Bosnia’s lead, putting the score at 2-0.
The game continues in progress, with Bosnia controlling the match and Qatar looking for a reaction to try to reverse the deficit. The minute-by-minute coverage of the Mix Vale portal continues to follow all the moves, goals and decisive moments. To not miss any updates, subscribe to Mix Vale notifications for free and receive news instantly, directly on your device. Stay up to date with all the details of your favorite teams! The first half is focused until the 46th minute and the match still continues with many emotions ahead.
