China 2-2 Uzbekistan

AFC – DOHA, Uzbekistan claimed the point they needed to reach the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 as they shared a highly-entertaining 2-2 draw with China at Al Gharafa Stadium on Sunday.

Having fallen behind to Yu Hai’s sixth-minute goal, Vadim Abramov’s side hit back with strikes from Odil Akhmedov and Alexander Geynrikh before Hao Junmin’s excellent free-kick in the 56th minute leveled the Group A contest.

China then pressed hard for the winning goal but Uzbekistan held on to guarantee their passage into the last eight.

But with Qatar beating Kuwait 3-0, it meant the hosts and not China would accompany the Central Asians into the knockout stage.

Uzbekistan should have taken the lead after just two minutes. Server Djeparov played in Timur Kapadze and his low cross reached an unmarked Maksim Shatskikh at the back post but somehow the striker sliced horribly wide from six yards when he seemed certain to score.

China made their opponents pay four minutes later. Li Xupeng’s glancing header from Wang Song’s free-kick was turned behind by keeper Ignatiy Nesterov but from the resulting corner, Yang Hao’s cross was flicked goalwards by Yu Hai, the ball hit Akhmedov and squeezed over the line.

Yang Zhi punched away Djeparov’s free-kick before China came close to a second in the 21st minute but Zhao Xuri’s fearsome swerving 25-yard drive smacked the bar with Nesterov well beaten.

Du Wei headed Hao’s free-kick wide at the back post before Uzbekistan grabbed the equaliser on the half-hour mark.

Djeparov was the architect as his superb defence-splitting pass released Akhmedov down the left side of the area and the defender advanced towards the six-yard box before flicking a cool finish past Yang with the outside of his boot.

Nesterov then pulled off a brilliant save to keep his side level as Hao’s curling cross was met with a powerful header from a leaping Gao Lin but the Uzbekistan keeper somehow managed to tip it over the bar.

Uzbekistan took the lead almost immediately after the interval when Geynrikh beat Yang with a shot from distance but China hit back in the 56th minute with a fine goal as Hao’s dipping free-kick from 25 yards found the top corner of Nesterov’s net.

The East Asians then spurned a great chance to take the lead immediately afterwards when Wang’s cross picked out an unmarked Gao near the penalty spot but his stooping header bounced wide.

Nesterov had to be alert to parry Gao’s powerful strike after turning his marker in the 78th minute as China pressed for a winner, Hao hacking over after latching onto a ball over the top of the Uzbek defence.

Stanislav Andreev then tested Yang from long range with four minutes to go as Uzbekistan managed to hold on for the draw they needed.