SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Qatar advanced to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 1-0 win Sunday night over a Mexican team that already clinched advancement.
Hazem Shehata scored his first international goal on a 10-yard header from Musaab Khidir’s cross in the 27th minute, Qatar’s only shot of the match.
Qatar last year became the first host to go 0-3 at a World Cup, losing to Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands.
No. 14 Mexico, which opened with wins over Honduras and Haiti under interim coach Jaime Lozano, won Group B and will play a quarterfinal at Arlington, Texas, next Saturday against Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador or Martinique.
No. 58 Qatar, in the Gold Cup as an invited quest, finished with four points, ahead of Honduras on goal difference, and also will play one of those four nations as part of a quarterfinal doubleheader. The Qataris are coached by Carlos Queiroz, who led Iran at last year’s World Cup.
Qatar, which lost to Haiti and tied Honduras, got help when Haiti lost 2-1 to the Catrachos at Charlotte, North Carolina, and finished third with three points.
Frantzdy Pierrot put 87th-ranked Haiti ahead in the 21st minute with his 18th international goal, banging in the rebound after Edrick Menjívar parried Duckens Nazon’s shot into his path.
Jerry Bengtson, at 36 the Catrachos’ oldest player. tied the score in the 42nd with his 23rd goal, an 8-yard header from Maylor Núñez’s cross. José Pinto put No. 81 Honduras ahead when he slotted the ball past Alexandre Pierre in the 59th after Jorge Álvarez lofted the ball behind the defense.
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