China advance in Asian Cup despite loss

China's Huang Bowen, right, fights for the ball with Iraqi player Yaser Safa Kasim during their Asian Cup Qualifying match in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, March 5, 2014. [Photo/icpress.cn]

DUBAI - Iraq beat China 3-1 in a dynamic and fair encounter of a group C game of the Asian Cup group stage, but both teams advance to the next round the Asian Cup 2015 in Australia.

Iraq took a 2-0 lead before the break and continued the tread on the Chinese in the early second half.  Younis Mahmoud scored twice in the 23rd and 43rd minutes for the lead.

Ali Adnan managed to make it 3-0 in the 59th minute to push China to the verge of the cliff.

Zhang Xizhe, however, scored a penalty after a foul after 79 minutes to help China advance as the best third-placing team in the group stage.

China records two wins, two draws and two losses for eight points, beating Lebanon, the third place of Group B with identical eight points, by goal difference.

China's goalkeeper Yang Zhi prevented Iraq to score more for the rest of the game when Thailand, meanwhile, managed to score a late goal though losing 5-2 to Lebanon, which sending China through.

Top two teams of the five groups received automatic berths of the final round, which will be hosted by Australia for the first time on January 9-31, 2015.

It was the first match for China under its new French coach Alain Perrin after the Chinese laid off Real Madrid's former manager Juan Antonio Camacho.

Diamanti inspires Evergrande winning start in AFC Champions League	Lippi u-turn with Evergrande contract extension	China announces Alain Perrin as national soccer coach