Bosnia and Herzegovina secured a vital 3-1 victory over Qatar in Seattle, keeping its FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification hopes alive while ending Qatar’s tournament journey.
A determined Bosnia and Herzegovina produced a dominant display to defeat Qatar 3-1 in their final Group B match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, preserving a slim chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Bosnia controlled the game from the start, creating multiple opportunities and forcing goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada into several key saves. Their breakthrough arrived in the 29th minute when 18-year-old Karim Alibegović dazzled with a solo run before firing a powerful shot into the net.
The European side doubled its advantage six minutes later when captain Edin Džeko’s dangerous volley deflected off defender Sultan Al-Brake and was recorded as an own goal.
Qatar responded before halftime as Hassan Al-Haydos scored in the 42nd minute to make it 2-1. The Gulf side nearly equalized moments later, but Pedro Miguel’s effort struck the post.
As Qatar pushed forward after the break, Bosnia remained disciplined defensively. Substitute Armin Mahmić sealed the victory in the 80th minute, reacting quickest inside the penalty area to score Bosnia’s third goal.
The win gave Bosnia four points and only its second-ever World Cup victory. However, the team finished third in Group B and must now rely on results elsewhere to qualify among the tournament’s best third-placed teams. Qatar’s defeat confirmed its elimination, leaving the nation bottom of the group with one point.
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