Football
Associated Press 9y

China book Asian Cup quarterfinal after Saudis defeat North Korea

China secured a 2015 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal spot when they beat Uzbekistan 2-1 on Wednesday in Brisbane in a Group B game.

China top the group with six points from two games. With Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia each on three points and clashing in the last of the preliminaries, the Chinese are assured of progressing to the knockout stage for the first time since 2004.

China dominated possession early and had their chances.  But it was Uzbekistan who opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Odil Akhmedov cut in from the left, steadied, and fired in a right-foot shot from 25 yards. It deflected off China midfielder Wu Xi and looped inside the far past.

Wu made up for it when he equalized in the 55th minute. Substitute Sun Ke, who came on in the 66th, made an angled run from the left two minutes later and sealed the comeback win with a strike from the edge of the area.

In Wednesday's earlier Group B game, forward Mohammed Al Sahlawi scored twice in two minutes to inspire Saudi Arabia's 4-1 comeback win over North Korea in Melbourne.

North Korea midfielder Ryang Yong-gi opened the scoring in the 11th minute for his team's first Asian Cup goal since 1992.

Striker Naif Hazazi equalized in the 37th minute, before Al Sahlawi gave Saudi Arabia the lead in the 52nd and made it 3-1 in the 54th.

Ri Yong-jik was sent off in the 77th minute for a handball and Nawaf Alabid sealed the win after the subsequent penalty.

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