Qatar captain Hassan al-Haydos said he was pleased with the team’s performance in the 0-2 loss to Brazil in the international friendly on Wednesday. Al Annabi put in a spirited show against the mighty South Americans, who had the likes of Neymar, Dani Alves, Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus playing for them.
After trailing by two goals in the first half four, Qatar created few chances and they also missed a penalty in the dying stages. “We played a good game against Brazil. After going behind, we made a good comeback. Brazil scored two goals due to some minor lapses,” al-Haydos said.
The 28-year-old midfielder was confident Qatar can put a good show in the Copa America, which will begin from June 14 in Brazil. He said the loss against Brazil will not have any effect on the players, but would only help them in the big tournament.
“That loss to Brazil will not have any impact on our preparation for the Copa America. The level of this team will only go up after this match. We are confident of doing well in the Copa. The Brazil was undoubtedly a difficult one for us as they have many world class players. Playing against them in front of such a passionate Brazil crowd meant a lot for the players. It has increased out confidence. We only learn from our mistakes from the match against Brazil,” al-Haydos said.
Felix Sanchez’s men will next play a closed-doors match against a Brazilian club side tomorrow. In the Copa America, Qatar in Group B, which includes Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay. They face Paraguay on June 16 followed by a match against Colombia on June 19 and Argentina on June 23.
Meanwhile, Sanchez showered praise on his team. “This game was very important for us as because it was part of our preparations for the Copa America. Also in the long run it is important because we are getting ready to play in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022,” the Spanish coach said.
Sanchez said that the players coped well with the pressure of playing the Samba Kings. “We managed to keep up with the Brazilian team for most of the first half. And in the second half they really played very well.
Sanchez, who guided Qatar to their first-ever Asian Cup title earlier this year, said the experience of playing Brazil will help the players no end. “The Qatari players have gained a lot of experience from this encounter, which will give them a boost in the upcoming matches in the Copa America, where we will play in a very difficult group.”