Qatar secured their place in the knockout stage of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mexico in the final Group B match at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Qatar's win, combined with Honduras' 2-1 victory against Haiti, ensured their spot in the quarterfinals. They finished second in the group and will face the first-place finisher from Group C next Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Despite Mexico's early dominance in possession and putting pressure on the Qatar defense, it was Qatar who broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. Musaab Khidir delivered a cross from the right flank, and Hazem Shehata powered a header into the net, giving Qatar a 1-0 lead.
Mexico immediately sought an equalizer and came close when Edson Alvarez's header from a corner kick narrowly missed the target in the 35th minute.
The best chances to score in the first half occurred just before halftime. Orbelin Pineda's effort was saved by Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, but the ball found its way back to Santiago Gimenez, who couldn't convert his shot at the back post.
Gimenez had another excellent opportunity early in the second half, but Barsham once again denied him, preserving Qatar's lead. Gimenez came close again in the 70th minute, but his shot went just wide of the post.
As the minutes passed, Mexico increased the pressure, pushing Qatar deeper into their own half. Qatar responded by making defensive substitutions, while Mexico committed fully to the attack.
In the final 10 minutes, Mexico had several chances, particularly from headers off numerous corner kicks, but Barsham proved unbeatable.
Ultimately, Qatar claimed the three points and a spot in the quarterfinals, while Mexico finished first in the group despite the defeat. They will face the second-place team from Group C on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
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