Qatar held to a 2-2 Draw by 10-Man North Korea in Laos
Qatar’s turbulent start to the Joint 2026 FIFA World Cup and Asian Cup Qualifiers continued as they were held to a dramatic 2-2 draw by North Korea in Laos. The result leaves the reigning Asian champions with just one point from two matches.
North Korea took the lead in the 19th minute through a stunning long-range strike by Ri Il-Song. However, the momentum shifted when Jang Kuk-Chol received a straight red card in the 28th minute for bringing down Akram Afif in the box. Afif calmly converted the resulting penalty to equalise for Qatar. Just before the break, Almoez Ali added to Qatar’s tally with a powerful shot from outside the box to make it 2-1.
Despite their numerical advantage, Qatar struggled in the second half as the rain-soaked pitch hampered their attacking play. North Korea seized the opportunity, levelling the score in the 51st minute with a brilliant free-kick from Kang Kuk-Chol. The match was temporarily suspended due to heavy rainfall, but neither side could capitalise further when play resumed.
Qatar coach Marquez Lopez lamented the result, describing the draw as one that “tasted like a defeat.” He acknowledged that while his side controlled most of the game, the rain and North Korea’s defensive resilience made it difficult to break them down in the second half.
This result leaves Qatar in fifth place in Group A, with Uzbekistan and Iran leading the group. Qatar will look to rebound when they host Kyrgyzstan in Doha on October 10, before a crucial away fixture against Iran five days later.