Bosnia and Herzegovina – Qatar

The Bosnia and Herzegovina national team will finish the group stage with an emphatic victory

Bosnia and Herzegovina were one of the last to reach the World Cup in North America. Yet they did it with such flair that few could compare. After drawing Italy as opponents in the European qualifying playoff final, the Balkan team gave all its strength for the victory and won in a penalty shootout. Since then, the Bosnians have always been equally diligent, disciplined, and goal-oriented. In the opening group-stage match, Bosnia and Herzegovina surprised the Canadian team, which conceded first and was already thinking not about an opening victory at the home World Cup, but at least one point. The Swiss also struggled at first, only pressing their European friends in the late stages of the match. By the third group-stage match, Bosnia and Herzegovina approach it with one point. To finish third, the Balkan players can settle for a draw in the next match, but two points may not be enough to enter the eight best teams occupying third place in the twelve World Cup groups. Qatar at the last World Cup, playing on home soil, failed to score a single point. Surprisingly, however, a representative of the Asian Football Confederation managed to do this in the very first round of the current World Cup. Moreover, the dramatic draw with Switzerland was achieved thanks to Qatar's goal in stoppage time added to the second half after a dozen missed chances by the Europeans. In the second round, luck turned away from the underdog, which conceded six unanswered goals to Canada. A single point before the match against their direct competitor, with the worst goal difference in the group, obliges Qatar to play only for a win. Otherwise fourth place in the group will become an unavoidable outcome for them. This worsens the position of the Asian team, since Bosnia and Herzegovina is a recognized master of playing the 'second number' (i.e., counter-attacking). Although the class of Edin Džeko and his teammates allows beating such opponents irrespective of the tournament situation. The magnificent Bosnian striker himself has yet to deliver his weighty veteran word in the Bosnian attack and will strive to do so in the final group-stage match.