Mexico lost their first match of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the first under interim manager Jaime Lozano, as Qatar shocked El Tri to win 1-0 and advance together with Mexico to the quarterfinals.
A goal by Hazem Shehata on the lone good chance that Qatar created was all the Asian side needed, as they defended in numbers, milked the clock, and killed the rhythm of the game with fouls (20 committed), injury stoppages and subs to see out the 1-0 result.
In the second half Qatar was purely preoccupied with defending their lead and packing numbers into the box. That made life difficult on Mexico, who struggled to find spaces all night.
It was 90 minutes of Mexican pressure, but El Tri's shots were getting blocked, crosses weren't finding Mexican players in the box, and Qatar's goalkeeper did the rest.
Despite the loss, Mexico still advanced as the Group B winner, taking on the Group C runner-up in the quarterfinals. They will be joined in the quarterfinals by runners-up Qatar, who will face the Group C winner. The USA and Mexico can only meet in the final.
MORE: Updated 2023 Gold Cup bracket
Group B final standings
Only the top two teams advanced to the Gold Cup quarterfinals. Here are the final scores:
- Mexico 0-1 Qatar
- Honduras 2-1 Haiti
| Team | Pts | W-D-L | Goals Scored |
Goal Diff. |
| 1. Mexico-Q | 6 | 2-0-1 | 7 | +5 |
| 2. Qatar-Q | 4 | 1-1-1 | 3 | 0 |
| 3. Honduras | 4 | 1-1-1 | 3 | -3 |
| 4. Haiti | 3 | 1-0-2 | 4 | -2 |
Q = Qualified to quarterfinals
Mexico vs Qatar final score
| Final | Goal scorers | |
| Mexico | 0 | |
| Qatar | 1 | Hazem Shehata (Musab Khoder) 27' |
Lineups:
Mexico (4-3-3, right to left): 13-Ochoa (GK) — 2-Araujo (15-Antuna, 81'), 4-E. Alvarez, 21-I. Reyes, 6-Arteaga — 8-Charly (20-Martin, 70'), 7-Romo (14-E. Sanche, 81'), 18-Chavez — 9-Ozziel (16-Lainez, 60'), 11-Gimenez, 17-Pineda (10-Alvarado, 60')
Qatar (4-3-3, right to left): 22-Barsham (GK) — 13-Khoder, 2-Suhail, 5-Salman, 14-Ahmed — 12-Marafee (4-Ayman, 54'), 6-Fatehi, 16-Mashal — 10-Waad (8-Asad, 40'), 17-Al Abdullah (23-Madibo, 78'), 3-Shehata (7-Salem, 78').
Jaime Lozano's alternate lineup can't solve Qatar
Having already qualified to the quarterfinals, Mexican interim boss Jaime Lozano started an alternate lineup in the match, making six changes from their previous match, and the new-look team didn't have quite the same energy, attitude, dynamism, and attacking ideas as they did in their first two matches.
Julian Araujo (right-back), Gerardo Arteaga (left-back), Israel Reyes (center-back), Charly Rodriguez (central midfield), Santi Gimenez (forward) and Ozziel Herrera (right wing) were the new players who got the start. Charly Rodriguez had some good passing. Gimenez had some solid scoring chances, but none of the others did much to stand out.
Henry Martin and Uriel Antuna were brought in at the end — and Mexico played with two center-forwards for the final stretch — but it was too little, too late to salvage a result.
"We got stuck in a way. We didn't create as much as we would've wanted, but we had some clear looks," Lozano said in his postgame press conference. "We had five or six very clear chances which I'm sure that in any other game would've gone in, but today in the end we take a loss that leaves us upset and hurt."
Santi Gimenez comes up short in his big chance
Many fans and plenty of media were clamoring to see Santi Gimenez at forward after his productive season at Feyenoord. He didn't come through in his big opportunity, and should have arguably been sent off.
In fairness, the Qatar goalkeeper came up big on two of Gimenez's best looks — a 30th minute header and a 52nd minute volley — and he also didn't receive the best service throughout the match. Gimenez was also the easy central target for the Qatari defenders who were packing their box.
But he flubbed a ball in the box a minute before Qatar scored, and the frustrations of the night caught up with Gimenez in the 66th minute. That's when he arguably should've been sent off for swinging an arm in the face of a Qatar player. The Canadian referee Drew Fischer determined that the incident was only worthy of a yellow card, gracing Gimenez.
"Yesterday [in practice] we saw him finish and he finished just like he's been doing for his club team and the way he did in previous national team matches," interim manager Lozano said postgame. "I simply think it was not our day.
"We can't forget that these players are young. They're doing important things at their young age, but they are very young players. And a player doesn't stop being good because he doesn't score in a game. I think Santiago is a forward who is going to have many more opportunities in this tournament and I'm sure that he's going to score many more goals."
Qatar defend their game plan
It was clear from the early stages of the match that Qatar was not looking to play on Mexico's terms. Instead, they were content letting El Tri have the ball and waiting for their chance to spring forward.
After Qatar scored their goal in the 27th minute against the run of play, the team spent the rest of the match defending in numbers and engaging in some gamesmanship with time wasting — the Qatar goalkeeper went down with cramps some 3-4 different times — but Qatar manager Carlos Queiroz was not about to apologize for any of it.
"Soccer is the art of winning," Queiroz said postgame. "We don't have Mexico's solutions or Brazil's or Portugal's. We have to play within the strengths and weaknesses of our football. We have to be realists. We can't lie to ourselves.
"The game plan was very clear. We set up the team to give the ball to Mexico, close out their penetrating passes and their diagonal plays. We did well to shut those out. And we started winning the game when the Mexican players began to be frustrated and do things faster than they wanted to.
"The important thing for the [Qatar] players is to learn they can win, even against one of the best teams in the world in Mexico," Queiroz continued. "Is there some failing in Mexico's finishing? Yes. But you have to see the merit of concentration, defending, and fight that our players showed.
"They showed today they can play, they can fight, they can suffer. There is nothing that we cannot achieve when we have a team on the pitch. Today, with a bit of luck — but this is part of the game — we got the result."
Mexico vs Qatar live updates, highlights and commentary from Gold Cup
Final: Mexico 0-1 Qatar
100th min.: Homophobic chant. Mexico are not having the best night, and neither are their supporters. Multiple goal kicks and even simple punts and long balls were met with a homophobic chant. But after the PA announcement, there was no action taken by the referee or match organizers.
97th min.: Chance Mexico. Another cross in the box, this time by Diego Lainez, and an Israel Reyes glancing header finishes wide and out.
94th min.: Chance Mexico! It's a bicycle kick in the box by Mexico's Henry Martin after a chaotic sequence in the Qatar box. But Qatar's goalkeeper went down low to grab.
90th min.: There will be 10 minutes of stoppage time with all the stoppages in play.
86th min.: Chance Mexico! Another corner kick and another Edson Alvarez header which nicks the top right corner of the goal. It's not falling for 'El Machin' and Mexico today.
81st min.: SUBS Mexico. 'Chiquito' Sanchez and Uriel Antuna are in the match. Qatar is now sitting back and telling Mexico 'come beat us.'
77th min.: It's constant pressure from Mexico, but they can't get the right pass or cross. Two more subs coming for Qatar, who at this point want to run out the clock. But there will be some healthy stoppage time given here. The Qatar center-forward comes off in place of a center-mid. They're not interested in attacking any more.
70th min.: Chance Mexico. Santi Gimenez is fed in the box, but his diagonal shot goes wide.
After the chance, Mexico make their third sub with Henry Martin coming on for Charly Rodriguez to partner with Gimenez up top. Jaime Lozano is throwing the kitchen sink at this game.
66th min.: VAR review. Drew Fischer goes to the monitor to review an arm by Santi Gimenez to the face of Qatar's Ayman who was grappling with him.
And Drew Fischer finishes the review and shows Gimenez a yellow card. And the Qatari players are furious. They're right to be angry. Gimenez should've been sent off.
62nd min.: Stoppage. Qatar's goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham has hit the turf for the third time in this match asking for time for a cramp to be stretched out. This is the goalkeeper complaining of cramps. The referee has lost his patience with him.
Meanwhile, the homophobic chant was heard loud and clear on the goal kick that followed after Barsham recovered.
54th min.: SUB Qatar. Manager Carlos Queiroz uses his second substitution window to make just one change. His squad is shorthanded with three players unavailable.
52nd min.: Chance Mexico! It's a double chance! First Santi Gimenez volleys a shot which is saved by scrambling Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham. And on the ensuing corner kick it's another Edson Alvarez header that finishes wide.
48th min.: Penalty Qatar? Center forward Al Abdullah makes a run into the box, and beats Memo Ochoa to the ball and goes down. But referee Drew Fischer gives him a yellow for simulation. It's the right call. He went down way too easily.
46th min.: Second half is underway. No new changes.
Halftime: Mexico 0-1 Qatar
Halftime: It's been a good half for Mexico, but it's Qatar with the surprise lead against the run of play. El Tri fell asleep on the goal-scoring play with Julian Araujo losing his mark, and Edson Alvarez way out of position.
As far as the attack, Mexico have been insistent, but Qatar have enough numbers in the box to ensure El Tri haven't had many clean looks. There are bodies in the way, and Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham is sure-handed.
Santi Gimenez's header was the best chance for Mexico, and El Tri should've also had a penalty. Referee Drew Fischer gave a pass to Qatar, who were complaining in the pregame about referee decisions going against them in the past two matches. On the next contact in the box, the referee will probably not be as lenient.
43rd min.: Penalty Mexico? It looks like a Qatar player charged into the back of Gerardo Arteaga, who made a run into the Qatar box in chase of a cross. Referee Drew Fischer doesn't call the penalty and VAR doesn't signal for a review. It looked on the edge based on the replays.
40th min.: SUB Qatar. The No. 10, Mohammed Waad, has to come off with Ali Asad taking his place. Asad has come off the bench in the last two matches and takes over at right center-mid.
37th min.: Warning. Mexico fans at Levi's Stadium belt out the homophobic chant on the ensuing goal kick and the Levi's Stadium PA announcer reminds fans not to use it as per the protocol.
35th min.: Chance Mexico! And it's another set-piece opportunity. A ball from the left finds Edson Alvarez, who heads the ball and it goes just high.
30th min.: Chance Mexico! Santi Gimenez heads down a cross on goal, but Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham tips it out for a corner. Nothing comes of it. Good reaction from Mexico.
27th min.: Goal Qatar! The Asian side takes a shock lead! A cross by right-back Musab Khoder finds the head of Hazem Shehata in the box. The header beats Mexico 'keeper Memo Ochoa, who gets a touch on it, but can't keep it out.
Qatar score on their first big opportunity. Julian Araujo lost his man. Qatar left winger Shehata just ran by him.
22nd min.: Chance Mexico! Luis Chavez nearly hits the frame on a long-distance free-kick. It was nearly a Chavez special. Mexico are trying every which way, but they can't break through just yet.
15th min.: Chance Mexico! Ozziel Herrera steals the ball from a Qatari defender — the Qataris give the ball away so easily — and takes a shot that's right at the 'keeper. Herrera needed that one to get going here.
10th min.: Chance Mexico! After Qatar turn it over again, a low Luis Chavez cross nearly finds Santi Gimenez in the box. But a defender got a touch to knock it out for a corner. Nothing comes of it.
Gimenez has been active. Ozziel Herrera, who's positioned wide right, is a non-factor so far.
5th min.: Orbelin Pineda and Gerardo Arteaga are really working that left side early on (Qatar's right). Mexico are in control to start this game. When Qatar has won the ball, they cough it right back up.
1st min.: We're off. Mexico wearing green, Qatar in all white.
Kickoff
5 mins to kickoff: Teams are out on the field and anthems are up next. Mexico first, followed by Qatar.
10 mins to kickoff: While other players are getting some rest today for Mexico, 37-year-old Memo Ochoa is hard at work again and gets another cap (No. 139).
1 hour to kickoff: Lineups are out. Six changes to Mexico's starting lineup.
2 hours to kickoff: Referee Drew Fischer from Canada will officiate the match between Mexico and Qatar on Sunday.
Mexico vs Qatar lineups
Mexico manager Lozano made it clear that changes would be coming against Qatar and we have six of them, at right-back (Julian Araujo), center-back (Israel Reyes), midfield (Charly Rodriguez), winger (Ozziel Herrera), and center-forward (Santiago Gimenez).
Left-back Gerardo Arteaga is back after a two-match suspension imposed by CONCACAF and he slots right back into the lineup. Center-back Cesar Montes will only return for the quarterfinal stage, serving an extra game for his role in the dust-ups against the USA in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Mexico starting lineup (4-3-3): 13-Guillermo Ochoa (GK) — 2-Julian Araujo, 4-Edson Alvarez, 21-Israel Reyes, 6-Gerardo Arteaga — 8-Carlos 'Charly' Rodriguez, 7-Luis Romo, 18-Luis Chavez — 9-Ozziel Herrera, 11-Santiago Gimenez, 17-Orbelin Pineda
Mexico projected subs (11): 1-Jose Antonio Rodriguez (GK), 12-Luis Angel Malagon (GK), 19-Jorge Sanchez, 5-Johan Vasquez, 22-Victor Guzman, 23-Jesus Gallardo, 14-Erick Sanchez, 10-Roberto Alvarado, 16-Diego Lainez, 15-Uriel Antuna, 20-Henry Martin
Adding to Qatar's frustrations in the tournament is that they will be missing two starters against Mexico: Qatar's best player Yusuf Abdulrisag is suspended for a red card received against Honduras, and starting right-back Bassam Al Rawi is also suspended for picking up two yellow cards in two games. Star forward Almoez Ali has missed the entire tournament due to injury and will also sit out vs. Mexico.
Qatar starting lineup (4-3-3): 22-Meshaal Barsham (GK) — 13-Musab Khoder, 2-Ahmed Suhail, 5-Tarek Salman, 14-Homam Ahmed — 12-Abdullah Marafee, 6-Ahmed Fatehi, 16-Moustafa Mashal — 10-Mohammed Waad, 17-Tameem Al Abdullah, 3-Hazem Shehata.
Qatar subs (9): 1-Salah Zakaria (GK), 21-Yousef Hassan (GK), 4-Youssef Ayman, 23-Assim Madibo, 20-Jassim Gaber, 8-Ali Asad, 7-Mahdi Salem, 18-Khalid Muneer, 9-Mohammed Muntari.
Mexico vs Qatar live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch the Mexico vs. Qatar match in the USA and Canada on Sunday, July 2 with kickoff set for 9:30 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
USA
- TV channel: FS1, Univision, TUDN
- Streaming: Fubo, Fox Sports site/app, TUDN site/app
The match will be televised in the USA on FS1 (English) and Univision and TUDN (Spanish) with all three channels streaming on Fubo, which is available to new users on a free trial.
Subscribers to cable, satellite, or telco packages can use those authenticated credentials to access a live stream on the Fox Sports or TUDN site and app.
Canada
- TV channel: Telus Optik TV (Channel 980)
- Streaming: Fubo Canada, OneSoccer site/app
The match will be televised in Canada on Telus Optik TV (Channel 980), where viewers can watch the OneSoccer broadcast.
It will also be streamed on Fubo Canada, as well as on the OneSoccer site and app for subscribers.
Mexico vs Qatar betting odds
Mexico are the huge favorites with Qatar given nearly one-in-seven odds to win the match. The betting market is leaning so heavily toward Mexico that the spread is up to 1.5 goals for this game (versus the usual 0.5 goals).
But you wonder whether the market is taking into account that it will be an alternate Mexican side made up of the backups, who haven't played a real game together to develop any sort of rhythm or work out the kinks.
For that reason, it might be best to focus on both teams scoring considering the game should be wide open since Qatar have nothing to lose and need a win at all costs to have a shot at qualification to the quarterfinals.
| Mexico win |
Draw | Qatar win |
Both teams to score Y / N |
Over / Under 3.5 goals |
MEX -1.5 |
QAT +1.5 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) |
-300 | +425 | +675 | -135 / -110 | +260 / -400 | -120 | -120 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) |
1.34 | 5.20 | 7.40 | 1.69 / 1.92 | 2.20 / 1.65 | 1.92 | 1.86 |