China are on the brink of an embarrassing AFC Asian Cup finals group stage exit following a 1-0 defeat by much-changed, and already qualified, hosts Qatar last night.
A match devoid of quality and urgency was lit up by a glorious deciding strike from Hasan Al-Haydos midway through the second half. The Qatar captain was introduced, along with tournament top-scorer Akram Afif, after 64 minutes, as Qatar head coach Marquez Lopez grew impatient with his plodding second string.
Afif grabbed set-piece duties when Qatar won a corner two minutes later, flighting the dead ball to Al-Haydos, standing all alone on the edge of the D.
Al-Haydos, like Afif, a member of Qatar’s 2019 Asian Cup winning team, connected with a gorgeous, technically perfect volley that screamed past China goalkeeper Yan Junling.
There was nothing on this match for Qatar, who sealed top spot in this group of dearth with victory over Tajikistan last Wednesday, but their substitutes and coaching staff rushed onto the field, overtaken by disbelieving excitement.
Most of the 42,104 inside Khalifa International Stadium audibly gasped when watching the big-screen replays.
What a rotten tournament this has been for Aleksandar Jankovic’s team. They have not scored in three matches, extending China’s wait for an Asian Cup finals strike to 389 minutes.
This is only the second time, after the 1976 competition, when groups consisted of three teams, China have failed to win an opening-stage fixture.
Browning says pressure ‘a thrill’ as China face Asian Cup crunch match with Qatar
Browning says pressure ‘a thrill’ as China face Asian Cup crunch match with Qatar
They are left hoping for a sequence of favourable results from other groups to sneak into the last-16 through the back door, after Tajikistan scored two late goals to beat Lebanon and claim second place.
Playing in their lime green second strip, China did not look like China on the surface. Ignore the colour of their jersey, however, and this was the team we have become accustomed to watching in Qatar.
China did not boast the invention, improvisation or conviction to exploit a Qatar team that featured nine changes from their Tajikistan win, and consequently lacked any cohesion or punch.
China completed 311 passes in 103 minutes of playing time, so 3.1 per minute.
Qatar were nevertheless limited to optimistic strikes off target from Yusuf Abdurisag, and Khalid Mazeed, during the opening half, although China’s excellent defender Tyias Browning twice made fine sliding interventions to prevent Abdurisag from taking aim.
China pieced together a bright piece of football after seven minutes. Zhang Yuninig’s run behind Qatar’s defence was skillfully found by Lin Liangming.
Zhang cut a ball back for the fast-arriving Wei Shihao, who sent a first-time, side-foot effort racing past the post.
Hong Kong’s army of fans breaking the bank to follow Asian Cup journey
Hong Kong’s army of fans breaking the bank to follow Asian Cup journey
China duly reverted to the mean, and it was another 29 minutes before they profited from good fortune for a sight of goal.
Wu Xi’s mis-hit shot alighted with Wei, who sneaked behind static defender Bassam Al-Rawi to turn goalwards. Saad Al-Sheeb instinctively flashed out his left hand to save at point-blank range.
A desperately stretching Zhang could not reach Wei’s skidding delivery one minute before the break, and Wei headed too high when the ball was returned from the right.
Qatar’s triple change for the restart included a chance for third-choice goalkeeper Salah Zakaria. He was dazed clearing a corner amid a pack of bodies and lasted only 18 minutes. Lopez said the player would visit hospital for concussion checks.
If Jankovic wondered whether his team had missed their chance when Qatar called for Afif and Al-Haydos 60 seconds after the ill-fated keeper’s departure, he soon had his answer.
The China head coach used all five substitutes, and one of them, Jiang Shenlong, had the ball in the net, only for play to be pulled back, because it had crossed the byline before Yu Liang crossed.
There was lots of huffing and puffing in 10 minutes of time added on, but China must now hold their breath and wait for their fate to be determined elsewhere.
