Doha, December 01 (QNA) - Qatar national football team head coach Julen Lopetegui expressed his disappointment with the 1–0 loss to team Palestine in the opening match of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, which was held at Al Bayt Stadium as part of Group A matches.

In a post-match press conference held Monday, Lopetegui said that the Qatari team wasted many scoring opportunities, ultimately slipping to defeat, noting that the Palestinian team deserved the win based on their performance, having fought for chances until the end.

He added that the match saw both teams trying to impose their control and create scoring opportunities equally.

Lopetegui said that the absence of some key players such as Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, and Karim Boudiaf was not a direct reason for losing the game, affirming that the players selected for this cup are high quality footballers who possess strong abilities.

Qatar's coach expressed confidence in his players' ability to perform better starting next match against Syria, adding that the team will be able to regain their balance and maintain their chance of qualifying for the quarterfinals.

Lopetegui said that the Palestinian team set themselves apart thanks to their strong physical performance, especially after their impressive performance playing a preliminary round match against Libya. (QNA)