KUWAIT CITY: Qatar’s coach has promised to prepare a quality squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup after the 2022 World Cup hosts failed to reach the Gulf Cup semi-finals.

Felix Sanchez was speaking in the wake of a 1-1 draw with Bahrain who qualified instead for the Gulf Cup semi-finals at the Jaber Al Ahmed Stadium.

Captain Hassan Al Haydos hit the target with a penalty for Qatar in the first half but it was Ali Jafaar Madan who scored the equazlier that powered Bahrain into the last-four stage of the tournament.

Iraq (7 points) and Bahrain (5 points) topped Group B. Qatar, winners in 2014, finished in third place with 4 points from three matches. Yemen ended the tournament without a win in three matches.

Qatar opened the tournament with a 4-0 win over Yemen but lost to Iraq 2-1 in a feisty contest last Tuesday.

Sanchez said: “The next competition is the Asian Cup. Obviously the national team is going to prepare for this competition so that we have a good team. We have to arrive in good condition to get the good results. We had our chances.

“This is a young team. A lot of them have experience of playing international games with the national team or with their clubs but this time it was not our day.”

In the semi-finals Bahrain play Oman and three-times champions Iraq face the UAE. The final is on January 5.
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