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China share points with Qatar after 0-0 stalemate

China’s run of drawn matches in World Cup Asian qualifying continued when they held hosts Qatar 0-0 in a Group 1 match on Monday.

It was China’s third successive draw after sharing the points with Iraq and Australia in earlier games.

Qatar now have four points and are second in the group behind Australia on seven. China have three from three draws and Iraq are on one from three games.

The Chinese were on the defensive from the start on Monday, with coach Vladimir Petrovic employing six men at the back.

The best chance fell to Qatar two minutes before the end of regulation time when substitute Syed Bechir’s header rebounded off the cross bar.

Qatar had been on the attack for most of the second half but they could not translate their supremacy into goals.

Meanwhile, Lebanon stunned Saudi Arabia when striker Mahmoud el-Ali took advantage of a defensive lapse to score in the 43rd minute in Riyadh.

But the Saudis leveled just before the interval through Yasser al-Kahtani, and they owned the second half with goals for Osama Hawsawi in the 65th, Redha Tukar on a header in the 83rd, and al-Kahtani’s second in injury time.

Syria joined the United Arab Emirates at the top of Group Five by beating Kuwait, while the UAE were held to a 0-0 draw by Iran in Tehran.

Iran needed the home win after draws against Syria and Kuwait, and a third draw left them two points behind Syria and the UAE.

North Korea held Turkmenistan to a scoreless draw in Ashgabat.

Turkmenistan’s Gochguly Gochguliyev missed a penalty as his side earned its first point.

North Korea and South Korea have five points each and Jordan four.
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