Panama eliminates Qatar to advance to Gold Cup semi-finals

[Twitter/@Goldcup]

The Qatari team was absent six players due to suspension alongside coach Carlos Queiroz.

Qatar’s Al Annabi concluded its last match in the Gold Cup on Sunday after suffering a 4-0 loss against Panama in the quarter-finals.

Ahead of the game, Qatar had a fair chance against the Central Americans as the two teams have met twice in the last two years, with the Asian Champions winning and drawing one.

However, the quarter-final game ruled in favour of Panama after Ismael Diaz nailed three second-half goals against a Qatari team who appeared to lack both offence and defence.

Qatar only managed one shot on target for the match.

Holding possession for 62 percent of the contest, Panama’s opening goal was fired from Edgar Barcenas in the 19th minute.

Qatar’s chances at the Panama box were minimal, though Bassam Al-Rawi sent a header that simply found its way into the goalkeeper’s hands. Striker Almoez Ali struck a shot that went overhead.

Qatar’s lacking performance has been attributed to the absence of six key players including Yusuf Abdurisag, Meshaal Barsham, Tameem Mansour, Ahmed Fathi, Mohammed Waad, and Tarek Salman.

The players were monumental in the game against Mexico, in which Al Annabi snatched a last minute win against the tournament favourites, though all six had received yellow cards.

Panama’s win puts them in Group C with a 2-0-1 mark, earning seven points, with Qatar finishing second in Group B with a 1-1-1 mark.

Qatar defeated Mexico in the final game of the group stage to earn its ticket into the knockout round as second place of Group B, thanks to a better goal difference than Honduras.

Panama will face the quarter-final winner between the United States and Canada, which will be held on Sunday in Cincinnati.