Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui
Doha, Qatar: Expressing his dejection over Qatar’s surprise defeat to Palestine, coach Julen Lopetegui said his team must learn from their mistakes as they prepare for their next FIFA Arab Cup match.
Despite dominating the contest, Qatar lost their Group A opener after conceding a last-gasp own goal from Sultan Al Brake.
“We congratulate the Palestinian national team. It was a very tough and evenly matched game between the two teams. Our goal was of course to win, and we lost in the last moments. Yes, the result is negative for us, and that’s football,” Lopetegui said after the defeat.
“There are matches that are decided in the final minutes that make the difference, and that’s what happened to us. We lost focus for 15 or 20 minutes during the match, and we have to learn and we have to prepare for what’s coming next.”
Assim Madibo suffered an injury after 30 minutes, and Lopetegui said injuries also played a part in the loss.
“Yes, we faced difficulties during the match, especially with the early injury.”
Qatar will now be desperate for maximum points when they face Syria on Thursday in their bid to reach the knockout stage.
“We must make up for it in the next two matches," said the coach.
Elated with the result, Palestinian coach Ihab Abu Jazar said the win will boost his team’s confidence.
“We are aiming to reach far in the tournament and this victory will help us do that.”
Goalkeeper Rami Hamada said Palestine were rewarded for their resilience.
“We worked hard for this victory. It was a tough match against Qatar, who have key players, but we were rewarded for our hard work.
“It was a dream to come to the Arab Cup. Despite the challenges we faced, our coach worked hard with us, and we have now started to see the results,” he added.
