Bosnia. Herzegovina always knew boosting their goals-scored column would enhance their chances of advancing to the knockout stage for the first time. It was no wonder. then, that thousands of their supporters went berserk when Ermin Mahmic added a potentially crucial third goal in a victory that eliminated Qatar. The goal of the game undoubtedly belonged to the exciting 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, but Mahmic’s sealed the win, third in Group B. a probable last-32 date with the USA in Santa Clara, at the home of the San Francisco 49ers.
There were jubilant scenes at the final whistle. Sead Kolasinac. one of only two players from their last World Cup appearance in 2014, clenched his fists as the other, Edin Dzeko, after his 150th cap, embraced staff, bear hugs the order of the day. Mahmic, a 21-year-old who until May was still an Austrian youth international, was in tears. It was the same in the stands. where one supporter held aloft his blue-and-yellow scarf, lips quivering, before a victory lap ensued. There was a squad photo and then both fans and players bounced in unison. The sound over the speakers? The Bosnian rock band Dubioza Kolektiv’s track USA, of course.
Nobody seemed fussed about the permutations. though Sergej Barbarez, their head coach in a sharp black suit, was rather more reserved, his rigid demeanour resembling that of a nightclub doorman. “When I’m ecstatic, I keep calm, I don’t jump or sing,. it will come to me, later tonight or tomorrow morning,” Barbarez said. “It’s incredible, there’s no words to describe my happiness right now. I’m the happiest person in the world to be here on this stage and represent my country.”
It was impossible to ignore the sense. Barbarez was keeping Alajbegovic on a leash of sorts after declining to start the teenager in their opener against Canada. After all, Alajbegovic was instrumental in Bosnia. Herzegovina arriving to this point, entering as a gamechanging substitute in playoff wins over Wales and then Italy, scoring penalties in both shootout victories, including the decisive spot-kick in Cardiff. “When you have such a young player. you see the potential he has, it is difficult to put him in at the right time,” Barbarez said. “We want to relieve him of the pressure that will come even from our own public, the expectation … We have a lot of young players. I truly believe this national team has just begun.”
Bayer Leverkusen were so impressed with Alajbegovic’s performances for RB Salzburg last season. in March the Bundesliga club activated the €8m (£6.9m) buyback clause to re-sign him on a five-year contract. Alajbegovic has proven a reliable fire-starter from the bench but thrived on his second successive start. His goal approaching the half-hour was a beauty, off-balance spanking a shot into the top corner. Alajbegovic picked up Ivan Basic’s pass outside the box. moseyed from left to right, jinking clear a couple of white shirts before blasting in from 20 yards.
Qatar struggled to repel Bosnia and Herzegovina and Barbarez’s side doubled their lead five minutes after opening the scoring. The 40-year-old Dzeko wheeled away in celebration but his attempt to cushion a diagonal pass into the path of Esmir Bajraktarevic culminated in the ball cannoning off the shins of Sultan al-Brake. beating Mahmud Abunada at his near post. Then Dzeko smacked a low effort against a post after a clever chipped pass released him one on one.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina got too comfortable and allowed Qatar to reply before half-time. The 35-year-old Hassan al-Haydos. wearing the captain’s armband on his first World Cup start, seized on some slack defending to convert Edmilson Junior’s pullback. Qatar were vulnerable in defence. played some neat stuff going forward, none more so than in first-half stoppage time when Pedro Miguel cracked a shot against a post. The right-back read Akram Afif’s smart pass. after taking the ball on his right foot, he almost equalised with his near-perfect next touch.
Barbarez recognised his team faded and introduced Amar Memic and Benjamin Tahirovic at half-time. Qatar collapsed against Canada. did nothing of the sort here, Boualem Khoukhi’s volley from a rehearsed corner causing panic midway through the second half. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, a collective pang of relief when the hydration break arrived. Then. when the ball squirted free to the penalty spot on 80 minutes, Mahmic pounced, whipping off his shirt in celebration.
“We still have to see whether we are going to progress to the next stage,” Barbarez said diplomatically, though he may struggle to get through to the thousands of Bosnia. Herzegovina supporters in attendance and those continuing the party in Sarajevo and beyond. “We are little, but there are a lot of us,” Barbarez added, smiling. ”I believe our diaspora has a bigger population than our country itself – there are a lot of people who want to see us. have contact with their country. It is very important we are here and it means a lot to them.”
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