Manager Felix Sanchez says hosts Qatar should not be labeled “failures and disappointments” after exiting at the World Cup group stage.
The Middle Eastern side fought back valiantly before Senegal handed them a second straight defeat – and the Netherlands then became the first nation to crash out of the competition after a 1-1 draw against Ecuador.
But African champions Senegal are leading Group A.
Bole Diya broke the deadlock four minutes before half-time, striking home to punish Bolelam Khukhi’s errant clearance.
Looking to mount a comeback in the second half, Qatar’s hopes were dashed when former Bristol City striker Famara Didheo flicked in a stunning header just three minutes after the break.
Watford’s Ismaila Sarr had an early chance on her 50th cap but headed into the side netting, while Everton’s Idrissa Goye’s racing drive was too low.
Qatar felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the first half when Akram Afif was bundled into the box by Sarr, but referee Antonio Lahouz only signaled for a goal kick, much to the fury of the home supporters. Increased.
Chelsea goalkeeper Edward Mendy made brilliant reflex saves to deny Almuz Ali and Ismail Mohamed, but could do nothing about Mohamed Mantri’s powerful header.
Qatar were looking for an equaliser, but Bamba Dieng then struck to beat home and leave his side bottom of the group without a point after two games played.
“Our goal was to be competitive,” Qatar boss Sanchez said. “We have been working for many months to deliver a good performance.
“But sometimes the match doesn’t play as you expect. It also depends on the performance of the opponents. We didn’t play at our top level.
“We know how tough the competition is. We wanted to go far but we know we had our limits as a country.”
Disappointment for the hosts.
Qatar made history by becoming the first country to host the World Cup from the region and now holds the unwelcome record of becoming only the second home team to be knocked out at the group stage since South Africa in 2010.
They needed a huge boost from Ecuador, who beat them in the opening game, to keep their hopes of remaining in the tournament alive, but Gustavo Alfaro’s side claimed a draw.
It meant Qatar had a disappointing first World Cup defeat with two defeats in six days and are proud to play against the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Spaniard Sanchez said: “It’s a small country, not a huge population. The local league is not very competitive.
“This is our first time at the World Cup. It would be great if we could participate again. It’s always useful to get more experience.”
Qatar, who did not have a shot on target on their World Cup debut, were backed by a die-hard section of supporters behind the goal.
Others dressed in traditional attire filled the stadium at the start of their weekend, but went home disappointed as their team suffered back-to-back defeats.
Senegal’s class told with their starting XI featuring 10 players from Europe’s top five leagues, with Sarr of Watford being the exception.
But the story could have been very different had the referee flagged Afif to the spot for Saar’s challenge, but he infuriated the locals by failing to award the penalty.
It proved crucial as Khokhi’s chipped clearance allowed Dia to convert the opener, and Didio’s unstoppable header doubled the advantage on 48 minutes.
Qatar, though, showed good fight back through Muntari’s thunderous header, which sent the partisan crowd into raptures.
But any hopes of an equalizer were dashed when Dieng finished a quick move to seal Senegal’s first victory in the group.
At the final whistle the Qatari players were given a standing ovation by their fans, but some lamented the fact that their chances of reaching the knockout stages were now gone.
