Controversial moment. Switzerland scores against Qatar after disputed penalty
Switzerland takes the lead over Qatar after a contentious incident
Football news
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
The Swiss national team opened the scoring in their 2026 World Cup group stage match against Qatar following a controversial episode involving the VAR system.
During a pivotal moment, the referee awarded a penalty against the Qatari side for a foul committed by Mahmoud Abunada, who picked up an injury in the incident but was able to continue playing.
Immediately after, doubts arose regarding a possible offside in Switzerland's attack, leading to an extended VAR review. The officiating team meticulously examined the footage before ultimately deciding to uphold the original decision.
Once the decision was confirmed, Swiss forward Breel Embolo confidently converted the penalty, putting his team ahead—1:0.
