Shenyang defender Zhang Ke received his marching orders from Qatari Abulrahman Abdou for a second caution after just 42 minutes of a physical Pool E encounter at the Al Arabi stadium in the under-23 tournament.

Zhou Haibin, a regular in midfield for his country’s senior team, had given China the perfect start with a half-volley from outside the area after seven minutes.

Karrar Muhamed should have equalised 15 minutes later when he was put through on goal but was denied by China’s 17-year-old goalkeeper Wang Dalei, who showed why he has attracted the interest of Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven.

Zhou had a great chance to double his tally after an hour when his Shandong club mate Zheng Zhi pulled the ball back from the byline but the 21-year-old blasted over from 10 metres with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Iraq, Asian Games champions in 1982 and semifinalists at the Athens Olympics, applied pressure in the last half-hour but rarely threatened Wang’s goal.

Japan also survived a shaky last half-hour to beat Pakistan 3-2 in their Pool F opener.

Keisuke Honda opened the scoring after two minutes and a goal either side of the half from Kawasaki Frontale midfielder Hiroyuki Taniguchi put the Japanese into what looked like an unassailable lead.

Muhammad Rasool and Naveed Akram scored in the last half-hour to put Pakistan within a goal of an unlikely draw but the Japanese held on despite losing Toshihiro Aoyama to a second yellow card two minutes from time.

“As you can see from my grim face this was not a satisfactory result,” said coach Yasuharu Sorimachi. “We should play better and more powerfully.”

Defending champions Iran, reinstated to the tournament after Fifa were persuaded to temporarily lift an international ban imposed for government interference in the sport, beat the Maldives 3-1 in their first match in Pool D.

But at least the Indian Ocean side didn’t suffer as they did the last time these two sides met when Iran racked up a 17-0 scoreline in a World Cup qualifier in 1997.

Iran, coached by veteran Brazilian Rene Simoes, were always on top in the clash at the Al Gharrafa stadium but will regret not adding to their total having dominated possession throughout the match.

They were in front after just 10 minutes when Arash Borhani headed in a sweet right-wing cross from Mohsen Arzani.

Iran made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute with Mazyar Zare Eshghdoost firing in a free-kick round a poorly-organised wall and under the body of Maldives keeper Imran Mohammed.

Maldives stuck to their task and pulled one back in the 78th minute through Arshad Ali who pounced upon a poor backpass from Jalal Hosseini to score past Hassan Roudbarian.

But Iran made sure of the points four minutes from time with a goal from substitute Adel Kolahkaj.

Group D

 India 1 (Papachan 89) Hong Kong 1 (Siu Ki Chan 90+2).

 Iran 3 (Borhani 15, Zare Eshghdoost 22, Kolahkaj 86) Maldives 1 (Ali 78).

Group E

 Oman 3 (Nor Farhan 40 own goal, Al-Ghailani 57, Al-Maimani 90+1) Malaysia 1 (Jaafar 61).

 China 1 (Zhou Haibin 7) Iraq 0.

Group F

 Japan 3 (Honda 2, Taniguchi 32, 56) Pakistan 2 (Rasool 60, Akram 82).