Syria 0-2 China

Zibo: Jin Jingdao's double was enough for China to overcome Syria 2-0 in Group A of the AFC U-19 Championship at Zibo Sports Centre Stadium and put the hosts on the brink of a place in the quarter-final.

The China skipper (pictured) gave his side an early lead when he got ahead of his marker to nod in Zhang Xihe's corner before securing the points in stoppage time following a swift counter-attack.

It was a tough result on Syria, who again had a man sent off when Taha Jnied picked up a second booking with nine minutes to go, following a performance that showed plenty of industry and character but they were unable to breach the Chinese defence.

It took just four minutes for China to make the breakthrough. Zhang's inswinging corner from the left was met by Jin at the near post and he glanced an unstoppable header into the back of the net.

Mahmoud Al Maowas struck a 30-yard free-kick that flew just wide eight minutes later before Yang Yihu saw his header turned around the post by Syrian keeper Ibrahim Almeh low down to his left.

Nasouh Nakkdahli controlled well on the edge of the box but his weak shot did not trouble keeper Yan Junling before the forward dragged another effort wide.

China almost doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when Zhang's cross fell to Yang in the far side of the box. The midfielder lashed a shot from eight yards which Almeh did brilliantly to tip over the bar.

China began the second period with intent and Zhang was played in down the left but his angled shot was pushed behind at the near post by Almeh.

The Syrian keeper almost gifted the hosts a second in the 50th minute when he completely misjudged a corner and was left in no-man's land. Wu Lei knocked the ball back into the box but Tan Tiangcheng's downward header flicked off a defender, hit the underside of the bar and stayed out.

Yang was off target with a header from Zhang's cross and Almeh got down well low to his right to keep out Tan's nodded effort.

A surging run down the right by substitute Hu Rentian just after the hour mark was met by an acrobatic volley from Yang that flew narrowly wide before Syria were reduced to 10 men for the second game in succession with nine minutes to go.

Lei Tenglong ducked down to head a bouncing ball around knee height and was caught by Jneid, a challenge the referee deemed worthy of a second booking.

Jin then sealed the points in stoppage time as, with Syria caught out up the pitch, Li Zhilang raced clear and although Almeh parried his shot, the midfielder was on hand to stroke the ball into the empty net.