So much for Switzerland staying in the neutral zone.
The Swiss might have been a step offside before the foul against Qatar keeper Mahmud Abunada that resulted in a penalty kick and a tiebreaking goal Saturday for Switzerland’s Breel Embolo during both teams’ World Cup opening 1-1 draw.
With VAR technology, offside calls are reviewable and shouldn’t be missed. The play was reviewed.
Perhaps it’s possible that the chaotic scene that unfolded after Abunada took a brutal blow to the head after charging off the goal line and diving into Switzerland’s Remo Freuler’s body caused a distraction.
Breel Embolo of Switzerland celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty for the team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on June 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. FIFA via Getty ImagesAbunada stayed down on the ground and was attended to by trainers.
The play started with a crosser into the box and a header to Freuler.
Mahmoud Abunada of Qatar lies on the ground during the 2026 FIFA World Cup First Stage Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at Leviâs Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium) in Santa Clara, California, United States on June 13, 2026. Anadolu via Getty ImagesOnce play resumed, Embolo buried his penalty kick to the lower left corner while Abunada dove in the other direction.
It was Embolo’s third career World Cup goal, but it was remarkably Switzerland’s first penalty-kick goal in World Cup history (excluding penalty shootouts), according to ESPN.
Real soccer conspiracy theorists might point out that FIFA’s global headquarters are based in Switzerland. Or that Qatar might have made some FIFA enemies while hosting the 2022 World Cup.
FIFA in a statement after the game defended the call.
“The lines used by the VAR to check the position of the relevant players did not show the attacking player to be in an offside position in either of the two situations immediately before the penalty decision,” FIFA said.
Of course, it’s much more likely that the officials just missed a call. Or that a bang-bang call was bound to make one side or the other unhappy.
