Qatar exited the World Cup after they were soundly beaten by Bosnia in Seattle.
The Gulf side provided their best performance of the competition, yet it was not enough to force the win which could have continued their involvement in the tournament.
The two sides kicked off knowing that victory could, in all likelihood, lead to a place in the Round of 32 as one of the best 12 third-placed teams.
Having been routed by the co-hosts Canada last time out, in which they lost two players to red cards who were subsequently suspended, Qatar were up against it.
They fell behind to one of the goals of the tournament. It was scored by Kerim Alajbegovic, the highly-rated 18-year-old star of Bosnian football.
The teen winger jinked past a number of would-be tacklers and arrowed in a shot from distance to give his side the lead.
Alajbegovic was just six years old the only previous time Bosnia had played at a World Cup, in Brazil in 2014.
Edin Dzeko had scored a goal when they claimed their first World Cup win back then, against Iran.
The 40-year-old striker helped put them on their way to their second when he contributed to their second goal.
The former Manchester City attacker found himself free at the back post, and volleyed the ball back across goal.
It was deflected off Sultan Al Brake, the Qatar defender, past Mahmud Abana as Bosnia doubled their advantage.
At that stage, it felt like Qatar might be heading towards a similar sort of hammering that they suffered last time out, when they lost 6-0 to Canada.
They battled back pluckily, though. Akram Afif started to carve out some holes in the Bosnia defence, and then Hassan Al Haydos pulled a goal back.
The 35-year-old forward retired from international football two years ago. He was coaxed out of retirement to join Julen Lopetegui’s push for the World Cup, and he was rewarded with his 40th international goal, just before half time.
Haydos saw his tournament, and potentially career, end in tears when he limped off early in the second half with injury.
It feels likely the Al Sadd and Qatar great will now edge back into retirement, and this time stay there.
Even after his departure, Qatar kept pushing, but their challenge was killed off when Ermin Mahmic restored Bosnia’s two goal buffer.
The Austria-born midfielder pounced from close range in crowded box to notch his side’s third goal.
They held on to that scoreline, meaning they will now wait and see if they have done enough to advance. Qatar, though, are heading home.
