Qatar held to draw as 10-man North Korea stage comeback

Asian champions Qatar on Tuesday settled for a fighting 2-2 draw against North Korea in torrential rain that left puddles of water on the New Laos Football Stadium in the second half.
Strikers Akram Afif (31th minute, penalty) and Almoez Ali (44) scored the two goals for Qatar in what was the second 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match for coach Marquez Lopez’s side inside five days. Last Thursday, Qatar were beaten 3-1 by a resolute UAE side at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Tuesday’s 2-2 draw saw the two Group A teams look sluggish in the second half when the heavens opened up in Vientiane.
Following a cagey start, North Korea’s Ri Il-song opened the scoring with a spectacular long-range shot that beat Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham in the 19th minute. With Qatar leading at half time, North Korea drew level when Kang Kuk-chol scored in the 51st minute with a similar breathtaking shot.
Qatar coach Lopez said his side dominated proceedings in the Group A clash at New Laos Football Stadium where an uneven, bumpy pitch greeted the teams.
“We started the match with the goal of winning and that showed in our attacking formation. Our performance throughout the match showed we wanted to win with an attacking game,” Lopez said after the match on Tuesday.
“We controlled the match and dominated its course. We were close to collecting the three points, but the circumstances changed after the first half due to the heavy rains. The draw comes with the taste of a loss,” he added.
After conceding an early goal, Qatar got the equaliser through a well-taken spot kick by Afif who was brought down in the Qatar box by Kuk-chol following a short pass by Almoez a few yards away. Afif chose to target the right of goalkeeper Kang Ju-hyok for Qatar’s opening goal in the 31st minute. Close to the first half whistle, Almoez found the net for the Asian champions. Almoez fired a spectacular shot with a right-footed drive from outside the box to hit the back of the net. Six minutes into the second half, North Korea produced the equaliser with a Kuk-chol free-kick in pouring rain.
Afif and Lucas Mendes nearly put Qatar ahead late in the second half but on each occasion the North Korean goalkeeper was alert. “The match was difficult but we were better for most of the match. After the expulsion of the North Korean player, we made attacking changes in order to score and advance, which is what actually happened and we dominated in the first half,” Lopez said.
“But the match changed in the second half, and the Korean team equalised from a set piece. I have to say the pitch, with the heavy rain pouring down, did not allow us to move quickly and pass the ball comfortably, especially with the defensive formation of the North Korean team, so we were unable to score.
“We have one point from two matches, but we still have eight matches ahead of us, in which we will do our best to get the wins and collect points,” he added.
Qatar and North Korea play the return Group A match in Doha next March.