Hosts Qatar into Asian Cup last 16 but China made to sweat

Hosts and defending champions Qatar on Wednesday were the first team to reach the Asian Cup knockout rounds, but China will need to fight it out to join them after successive 0-0 draws.

Qatar were left red-faced after losing all three games at their home World Cup in 2022, the worst performance of any host in the competition's history.

They then axed Carlos Queiroz early last month and replaced the former Real Madrid coach with Tintin Marquez in a last-minute gamble.

It has paid off so far with Qatar following up their 3-0 win over Lebanon with a 1-0 victory over Asian Cup newcomers Tajikistan in front of 55,000 at the tent-like Al Bayt Stadium.

Livewire forward Akram Afif, who scored twice in the opening game of the tournament, hit what turned out to be the winner with another clinical finish.

The forward raced onto a through ball from Almoez Ali in the 17th minute before stabbing it deftly past Tajikistan's goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov.

"Almoez is one of my best friends and we understand each other very well," Afif said of his partnership with Ali, who scored a record nine goals as Qatar won the title for the first time in 2019.

"We have been playing together for a long time so we understand what each other is going to do just with a look.

"We hope the best is still yet to come."

Tajikistan finished with 10 men after Amadoni Kamolov was sent off for kicking out at Ahmed Al-Ganehi's face late in the game, the first dismissal of the competition.

Qatar's victory put them through as Group A winners with a game to spare, but who progresses with them will go right down to the wire.

In the final round of matches in the group on Monday, Qatar play China while Tajikistan face Lebanon.

Despite two listless 0-0 draws China are in pole position to go through with the hosts.