HOUSTON — Qatar notched its first Gold Cup victory and now is setting its sights higher after an assured 4-0 win over Grenada. Felix Sanchez's team is aiming for a spot in the quarterfinals and the team's attack hasn't disappointed in its opening two games.
“We have generated many chances,” Sanchez said. “It has quickly given us more confidence and I think the game has continued in the same vein. During the 90 minutes, playing more in the opposite field and having very clear chances, we were able to score four and I think it was a fair result for us.”
The AFC Asian Cup champions are among the better generators in offense during the group stage with seven goals through two matches. In their second match, it only took them 11 minutes to get on the scoreboard.
While Sanchez is content with the win, he went on to stress that Qatar has yet to secure a spot in the next round. However, the team is very close to making it happen. It all comes down to the team's match on Tuesday against Honduras. Qatar needs only a draw to move on to the quarterfinals but a victory would see them finish first in Group D.
Grenada, on the other hand, suffered its second straight loss at the Gold Cup and was unable to reach the knockout stage in this Gold Cup. Head Coach Michael Findlay mentioned there was valuable experience gained at the tournament.
“We have to take these experiences and use them for the next time we get an opportunity to play in competitions such as this,” Findlay said. “To play an Asian champion is an honor but it is also a wonderful opportunity for this program and for this team and for this country to put themselves out against the best that we have in global football.
"As it relates to playing against the powerhouses of Concacaf, that can only assist us in meeting our objectives and long-term goals.”
