Bosnia-Herzegovina secured a vital 3-1 victory over Qatar on Wednesday in their final Group B fixture, placing them in a prime position to advance to the World Cup round of 32. With four points, Bosnia now awaits confirmation as one of the top third-placed teams, while Qatar suffers another group-stage elimination, mirroring their performance four years ago.
The match began with intense pressure from Bosnia, keeping Qatari goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada busy early on. 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, the youngest player to ever represent Bosnia in the tournament, opened the scoring with a brilliant long-range effort. Shortly after, a strike from veteran captain Edin Dzeko deflected off defender al-Brake and the goalkeeper to double the Bosnian lead. Qatar responded before halftime when Hassan al-Haydos netted a goal, though his match ended prematurely due to a 55th-minute injury.
Despite a few scares from the Qatari attack, including a shot that hit the post, Ermin Mahmic sealed the win for Bosnia in the 80th minute. His second goal in as many games confirmed the European side’s victory, marking a significant milestone for their international football history.
