Lopetegui stresses Qatar have 'right to dream' after last-gasp draw against Switzerland

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khoukhi-boualem/QyW8enUd/"]Khoukhi[/a] powered home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ahmed-homam/IuGsoVtQ/"]Homam Ahmed[/a]'s cross in the 94th minute to cancel out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/embolo-breel/CpKkPKuP/"]‌Breel Embolo[/a]'s first-half penalty and snatch a point that left ‌all four teams in Group B level after one round of matches.[/p][p]For [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopetegui-julen/joAFj9hO/"]‌Lopetegui[/a], however, the significance of the result stretched beyond the standings.[/p][p][b]"We ‌achieved one dream when we arrived here, to be here, and now today is another little dream," the Spaniard told reporters.[/b][/p][p][b]"And we have the right to ‌continue having the dream."[/b][/p][p]The late goal sparked jubilant ⁠celebrations among [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/qatar/zqzHL77i/"]Qatar[/a]'s players after ‌they spent much of the match absorbing Swiss pressure, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/switzerland/rHJ2vy1B/"]Switzerland[/a] registering 26 ​attempts on goal to Qatar's seven.[/p][p]Lopetegui said his side never abandoned the game plan, even after falling behind in the ​17th minute.[/p][p][b]"We made very few changes, but we had to keep our plan because if you... want to open too early against a team ⁠like Switzerland, you will ​suffer a lot," he said.[/b][/p][p]Qatar remained compact and disciplined, continuing to defend in numbers rather than chasing the game, a strategy Lopetegui said was necessary against a side boasting top-level talent throughout the squad.[/p][p][b]"We believe, we ‌work, we resist, we are resilient," he said. "In the end, we have one big award for us."[/b][/p][p]Lopetegui reserved special praise for his players' mentality, saying he would have been proud of their effort even without Khoukhi's dramatic equaliser.[/p][p][b]"I was very proud about the mentality, about the discipline that they showed today," he said.[/b][/p][image alt="Qatar - Switzerland match momentum" id="3acb2c61-a23b-4901-97c2-1ca04a75347c" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="9f13703c-40e3-47c7-aaa3-971fcb7fb10c" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Lopetegui quickly turned his attention to Thursday's meeting with co-hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/x4toKORL/"]Canada[/a], warning that recovery would be crucial after a physically draining contest.[/p][p]Qatar have one day fewer to ‌recover than Canada and must travel before the match, while many ​of Lopetegui's players are still adapting to the demands of World ‌Cup football.[/p][p][b]"Our players need sometimes more time than the rest of the players because they are not used to this kind of rhythm," he said.[/b][/p][p][b]"We have to make one big effort to recover well and to be ready for the next big, ⁠big challenge."[/b][/p][p]For now, though, Qatar's campaign ⁠remains alive.[/p][p][b]"It's going to ‌be tough, difficult," Lopetegui said. "But we win our right."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/qatar-zqzHL77i/switzerland-rHJ2vy1B/?mid=C8oCpXiA"]Check out the match report with Flashscore.[/a][/p]