RIYADH: Many Qatari fans will be left wondering what could have been had head coach Julen Lopetegui instructed the team to play with the same attacking intent they showed after going 2-0 down.
The score might have been different. Qatar might have had a fighting chance to reach their first knockout-stage appearance. Alas, it was not to be.
What happened in first-half stoppage time, however, will be a memory Qatari fans are unlikely to forget.
Pedro Miguel, fresh off making one of his trademark overlapping runs on the right, found himself in a prime attacking position behind the Bosnian defense with a chance to equalize.
Akram Afif threaded a neat pass, giving Miguel enough space to test Bosnia and Herzegovina goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj. Miguel struck the post, leaving Qatari fans in a state of disbelief.
The two-time Asian champions endured a tedious opening 35 minutes. After sitting back and allowing their opponents to dominate possession, a moment of magic from Kerim Alajbegovic gave Bosnia the lead in the 29th minute of proceedings.
The 18-year-old starlet evaded two players before nestling the ball past Mahmoud Abunada from range.
Just five minutes later, Edin Dzeko contributed to Bosnia’s second, directing a cross back into the box which deflected off Qatar left-back Sultan Al-Brake and into his own net. Dzeko hit the post a few minutes later and it seemed all but over for the Maroons.
That was until the 42nd minute, when a Miguel cross to the far post was met by Edmilson Junior, who squared it back into the center of the box.
Qatari football icon Hassan Al-Haydos, making his first start of the tournament, converted to pull one back for Qatar and keep their knockout hopes alive.
The Miguel miss followed shortly after, but Qatar carried that attacking energy into the second half.
They remained cautious and did not go as all-out as fans may have wanted, but they continued to pose a threat in the second half, with Afif starting to play with more freedom.
A chance in the 57th minute was the closest Qatar came to an equalizer. Afif received a pass down the left before firing into the side netting.
Ahmed Al-Ganehi was waiting unmarked at the far post, but Afif did not spot him in time to release him on goal.
Qatar continued to push forward, but not enough to threaten Bosnia’s lead. After spending nearly 200 consecutive minutes of World Cup football defending, it was difficult to expect Qatar to suddenly find their attacking rhythm on a whim.
Bosnia added the final dagger in the 80th minute, when a scramble in the Qatari box saw the ball fall to Ermin Mahmic, who scored his second goal for Bosnia after finding the net against Switzerland last week.
With the defeat, Qatar’s World Cup journey has officially come to an end. After a tournament that began with a promising 1-1 draw against group winners Switzerland, few expected it to end so emphatically.
A 6-0 defeat to Canada followed by the loss to Bosnia leaves the Maroons at the bottom of Group B with a single point, just one more than they managed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Elsewhere in Group B, Switzerland and Canada met to determine the group winner. Switzerland cruised to a 2-1 victory over the co-hosts to finish top, while Canada secured second place.
Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third on four points, a tally that should be enough to secure a place in the Round of 32.
