Qatar has become the first nation to be eliminated at this year’s World Cup after losing 3-1 to Senegal on Friday. As a result, they have set the record for the earliest elimination for a host nation in World Cup history; exiting from the tournament after just two games.
This is the second historical record that has been set by Qatar during the tournament. Qatar also became the first host nation to lose their first match in the World Cup due to being defeated 2-0 by Equador during the opening game of the tournament.
“If you expected us to go very far in this tournament, then it will be a disappointment,” Qatar coach Félix Sánchez said following the defeat to Senegal. “Our goal was to be competitive. We have to forget about today, move on and play the Netherlands.”
This early elimination is a major disappointment for Qatar, considering that they are the 2019 Asian Champions. Once the Netherlands and Ecuador drew 1-1, Qatar’s fate was all but sealed, as the two former nations now sit on four points each while Qatar is still on zero with just one game to play.
