08/06/2008 10:52 AM
Sebastian Quintana scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot to put Qatar within sight of qualification for the final round of the Asian World Cup Qualifiers.
Quintana stroked home his spot kick after 14 minutes and from then on a stacked Qatar defence held out China, which dominated possession after going a goal down.
The wins moves Qatar up to seven points, level with Australia.
The Socceroos were downed 1-0 in Dubai and are likely to need one win from their final two matches in the phase to move into the next round.
China's hopes of progression look slim as it trails the leaders by four points with two games to play.
Elsewhere, Uzbekistan became the first team to book a place in the final round of qualifying with a narrow 1-0 victory over Singapore.
The result means it is now assured of a top-two finish whatever the outcome.
North Korea edged closer to qualifying for the final round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers after beating Turkmenistan.
Choe Kum Chul popped up with the winner in the 72nd minute to give North Korea its second win in Group Three and propel it to the top of the table for a short time.
Defeat for Turkmenistan means it can no longer qualify, having won just one point from four matches.
Park Chu-young's first-half penalty earned South Korea a 1-0 win over Jordan.
The victory was enough to move South Korea back ahead of North Korea by virtue of a better goal difference.
Saudi Arabia all but guaranteed its place in the final round of qualifying after Redha Tukar's brace sealed a 2-1 win over Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia now has nine points and trails Group Four leaders Uzbekistan by three. It now just needs a draw from one of its final two games to progress.
Salman Isa's 67th-minute strike denied Thailand a shock victory over Group Two leaders Bahrain, virtually ending its World Cup qualification hopes.
Datsakorn Thongalo gave the visitors the lead after 65 minutes only for Isa to find the back of the net to ensure Milan Macala's side all but booked a place in the final round of qualifying. It now just needs a draw from its final two games to progress.
Thailand by contrast has only one point to its name and needs an unlikely combination of results to make it through as it trails second-placed Japan by six points.
Ferydoon Zandi's eighth-minute goal rekindled Iran's hopes of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals.
The only goal of the game gave Ali Daei's side a 1-0 win over the United Arab Emirates and earned the coach his first competitive win as an international manager.
Yashuhito Endo's second-half penalty earned Japan a draw in Oman.
The Gamba Osaka midfielder's effort cancelled out Ahmed Mubarak's 11th-minute strike for the hosts.
Oman had a golden opportunity to snatch all three points when Hashim Salem Mohammed was brought down in the box by Marcus Tulio Tanaka, but Fawzi Bashir hit his spot-kick tamely and Seigo Narazaki guessed correctly, diving to his left to make the save.
Japan stays three points ahead of Oman with two games remaining in Group Two.
Asian Confederation World Cup qualifiers
China 0
Qatar 1 (Quintana 14p)
Lebanon 1 (Ghaddar 93)
Saudi Arabia 2 (Tukar 45, 60)
United Arab Emirates 0
Iran 1 (Zandi 8)
Oman 1 (Mubarak 11)
Japan 1 (Endo 53p)
Bahrain 1 (Isa 67)
Thailand 1 (Thonglao 65)
Korea DPR 1 (Choe 72)
Turkmenistan 0
Jordan 0
Korean Republic 1 (Park 22p)
Uzbekistan 1 (Geynrikh 80)
Singapore 0