First losing record in host country’s opening match
The tournament ended with Qatar losing all 3 of their matches
Qatar, the host country of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, collapsed helplessly in their last game, ending the tournament with a three-game losing streak. Qatar had a dismal exit from the World Cup with a string of shameful firsts.
Qatar lost 0-2 to the Netherlands in the third match of Group A of the group stage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup held at the Albaite Stadium in Alkor, Qatar on the 30th (Korean time).
Qatar lost 0-2 in their opening match against Ecuador on the 21st and bowed 1-3 in their second match against Senegal on the 25th.
Qatar had their first record in every match of this tournament.
First of all, Qatar lost 0-2 in their opening match against Ecuador on the 21st, becoming the first host country to lose in their opening match in World Cup history. It was the first time in the 92-year history of the World Cup that the host country had lost its first match.
And that’s not all. It was also the first time in 52 years since the 1970 tournament, when Mexico drew 0-0 with the Soviet Union, that the hosts failed to score in their first match.
Muhammad Muntari scores first World Cup goal
Qatar also scored a historic first World Cup goal against Senegal in their second match against Senegal on the 25th. They also became the second host country to fail to advance to the round of 16, after South Africa in 2010.
Qatar also produced multiple high scores in their third group stage match against the Netherlands on the 30th, their last match. It was a 0-2 loss to the Netherlands, making them the first host nation in World Cup history to lose all three of their group stage matches.
Qatar coach Felix Sanchez (47, Spain) said he didn’t set himself the goal of progressing to the round of 16 and immediately start preparing for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.
Head coach Sanchez said at an official press conference after losing 0-2 to Netherlands in their third group stage match of Qatar 2022 World Cup against Netherlands held at Al Bite Stadium in Alkhor, Qatar on the same day: “We never aimed to progress to the round of 16 or the quarter-finals. “I just wanted to see what he would do on the World Cup finals stage,” he said.
Qatar coach “I’ve never set a goal for the round of 16”
Then he looked back, saying, “We played well against Senegal and the Netherlands, but we couldn’t show our skills in the opening match against Ecuador.”
Regarding the shameful records Qatar has written in this tournament, coach Sanchez said, “Records are just records. We will make our assessment.”
Coach Sanchez also recalled winning the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, which he led.
He said: “We are a team that won the Asian Cup title” and “we had only good times and bad times at the World Cup.”
“I don’t have time to rest,” he added, adding, “I will get ready for the next Asian Cup.”
Reporter Lee Beom-soo
