BEIJING, July 25 - Hosts China marched into the
Asian Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Qatar on
Sunday.
Defender Xu Yunlong headed home from close range in the 78th
minute to deservedly seal the points for China in front of
62,000 spectators in Beijing.
China, who have never won the Asian Cup, finished top of
Group A with seven points, two more than Bahrain, who also
advanced after beating Indonesia 3-1.
The Chinese dominated from the start but failed to convert a
string of chances in the first half.
Defender Zheng Zhi was guilty of a glaring point-blank miss
in the sixth minute after latching on to a teasing cross from
Yan Song.
Li Ming then blazed wide from a good position after 18
minutes and playmaker Shao Jiayi, two-goal hero of China's 5-0
thrashing of Indonesia in midweek, shaved the post with a
28th-minute free kick.
But Xu struck in the 78th minute, bravely diving in to nod
the ball over the line after captain Li Weifeng had knocked down
a corner from Li Ming.
Substitute Sun Jihai, who plays for English premier league
club Manchester City, squandered a golden opportunity to double
China's lead four minutes from time, heading a Li Ming cross
against the bar from six metres.
China will play the Group C runners-up in the quarter-finals
on Friday.