Asian Cup Q: China through despite Syria stalemate

SHAO Jiayi was left to rue his luck as China were held to a goalless draw by Syria in an AFC Asian Cup 2011 qualifier at Yellow Dragon Stadium on Wednesday.

Shao (pic) saw one effort cleared off the line and another hit the crossbar against the Group D leaders but it mattered little as the hosts booked their place in Doha next year alongside Syria after Lebanon and Vietnam drew 1-1 in the group’s other game.

Both sides took their time to settle during a first-half in which the hosts looked the more dangerous as they enjoyed plenty of possession.

But it was the visitor that created the first effort of note midway through the opening 45 minutes when Jehad Alhoussain pulled the trigger from 30 yards and calling Yang Zhi into action as the goalkeeper turned the ball away with an athletic save.

China threatened soon after when Shao met Rong Hao’s inviting cross six minutes later and directed a header past goalkeeper Mosab Balhous, only to see Omar Hemidi make a last-gasp intervention on the goal line.

Five minutes before the break, Shao again had a chance to break the deadlock as he evaded the offside trap, collected Jiang Ning’s through pass but with only the keeper to beat, smacked the crossbar with a left-foot drive that had the onrushing Balhous beaten.

Zhao Peng then went close two minutes later when he rose higher than the opposition defence in the penalty area but could only manage to head Yu Hai’s free-kick straight at Balhous.

The visitors were again indebted to their in-form keeper for keeping the score line blank just before the break when Shao hit a 20-yard curling shot after receiving Han Peng’s pass but Balhous made a spectacular save.

The hosts dominated the second period but were unable to find a way through a resolute Syrian rearguard.

China coach Gao Hongbo brought on Hao Junmin for Jiang on the hour mark hoping to find some joy down the right wing and the hosts pegged the Syrians back in their own half as the visitors began to look tired in the final 30 minutes.

Quarter of an hour before the final whistle, Rong dribbled into the box before he unexpectedly clipped a shot that took a wicked deflection off team-mate Shao but ultimately did not threaten the Syrian goal.

Qu Bo then squandered China’s best opportunity of the second-half, collecting a loose ball after Zhang Linpeng’s long-range effort was blocked by an opposing defender but the striker fired just wide off the right post.

Tags: Asian Cup, Asian Football, China, Shao Jiayi, Syria