- Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Qatar: Bosnia thump Qatar 3-1 to put themselves in a strong position to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup knockout stage.
- Bosnia-Herzegovina finished third in Group B on four points, a tally that keeps their qualification hopes firmly alive.
- They must now wait on results elsewhere as other nations battle for the remaining best third-placed qualification spots.
18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic made FIFA World Cup history by becoming the youngest player ever to score a goal from outside the penalty area as Bosnia-Herzegovina comfortably defeated Qatar 3-1 in a result that could prove decisive in securing a place in the 2026 knockout stage.
At just 18 years and 276 days old, the Bosnian wonderkid shattered the long-standing record previously held by French superstar Kylian Mbappe, who scored from outside the box at 19 years and 207 days during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The Bosnian left winger cut inside, glided past two Qatar players in their own half, and just when it looked like he had pushed the ball too wide, unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike into the top corner. It was an unstoppable effort that gave his side a thoroughly deserved lead.
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Making only their second appearance on football’s biggest stage, Bosnia-Herzegovina knew they needed not only victory but also as many goals as possible to strengthen their chances of finishing among the best third-placed teams and securing qualification.
Five minutes after the opener, they grabbed their second. A cross-field ball was delivered into the right side of the box, where Edin Dzeko, earning his 150th cap, was positioned just yards from goal.
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The veteran forward half-volleyed the ball back across the face of goal, and it struck the thigh of Qatar left-back Sultan Al-Brake before spinning agonizingly beyond the goalkeeper at the near post for an own goal and Bosnia’s second.
Just as Bosnia looked comfortable and in complete control, Qatar found a way back into the contest.
Having pushed higher up the pitch and committed more bodies forward after falling behind, they were rewarded when Edmílson Junior pulled the ball back from the left flank and captain Hassan Al-Haydos fired home from close range to cut the deficit just three minutes into the second half.
The second half offered little in terms of clear-cut opportunities for nearly 35 minutes before Bosnia found the third goal they desperately needed to boost their goal difference in the race for one of the best third-placed spots.
Alajbegovic, just as he had done for his first-half goal, surged forward from the right wing and tested Mahmoud Abunada with a powerful long-range effort.
The goalkeeper could only parry the shot away for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Qatar failed to clear their lines, and the loose ball fell kindly to second-half substitute Ermin Mahmic, whose strike took a deflection and wrong-footed Abunada before finding the back of the net.
That goal sealed the victory and temporarily lifted Bosnia-Herzegovina to the summit of the third-place standings on four points. With one foot in the knockout stage, they will now hope other results fall in their favour as the battle for the remaining qualification spots reaches its conclusion.
For Qatar, hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, their campaign came to an end with just a single point from their second appearance on football’s grandest stage.
Switzerland beat Canada to finish top of Group B
Meanwhile, co-hosts Canada missed the opportunity to secure a home Round of 32 tie as Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi fired Switzerland to top spot in Group B with a 2-1 victory.
Despite the defeat, Canada also booked a historic place in the knockout rounds.
With the top two teams in the group meeting in Vancouver, both sides knew victory would guarantee first place and, in theory, a more favourable path in the knockout stages.
Vargas and Manzambi’s second-half goals ensured Switzerland finished on seven points.
Promise David pulled one back during the final 15 minutes for Canada, but the co-hosts ended the group stage three points behind the Swiss. Nevertheless, they reached the last 32 for the first time in their history.
Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Qatar – FIFA World Cup Group B Lineups (June 24, 2026)
- Bosnia-Herzegovina starting lineup: Nikola Vasilj, Stjepan Radeljic, Sead Kolasinac, Nikola Katic, Arjan Malic, Kerim Alajbegovic, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Ivan Sunjic, Ivan Basic, Ermedin Demirovic, Edin Dzeko
- Qatar starting lineup: Mahmoud Abunada, Sultan Al-Brake, Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Issa Laye, Karim Boudiaf, Ahmed Fathy, Jassem Gaber, Hassan Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Edmílson Junior
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026