China swallow Qatar

Korea faces winner of Saudi Arabia-Kuwait quarter-final.

The talismanic Lee rose from the substitutes bench 17 minutes from the end to inspire the Koreans to a memorable victory — setting up an injury time equaliser before scoring the winner.

South Korea had looked to be heading out of the tournament after an amazing 35-yard screamer from Karim Bagheri had fired Iran into a 1-0 lead on 71 minutes at a rain-swept Tripoli Stadium.

But in a desperate last throw of the dice, Korea coach Huh Jung-Moo sent his semi-fit striker Lee into the fray in place of defender Kang Chul on 73 minutes.

The inspired substitution proved the turning point, with Lee — scorer of a hat-trick last week against Indonesia — goading his team into an all-out assault on the Iranian goal.

With time ticking down Lee crossed into the six-yard box. Iranian goal-hero Bagheri tried a spectacular volley clearance only to make a dreadful hash of the attempt, slicing to Kim.

The midfielder thumped the ball into roof of the net as the devastated Iranians slumped on to the pitch.

With belief suddenly coursing through South Korea — wholy scraped into the quarter-finals as one of the two best third-placed teams in the first phase — the Iranians were suddenly scrambling.

Ten minutes into extra-time Noh Jung-Yoon went scampering down the left flank and whipped in a cross for Lee, who side-footed home to spark pandemonium amongst the Korean team on the bench.

“That was amazing,” a jubilant Lee said. “Before this match we weren’t sure that we could win but I think now we can beat anybody.

“My leg is still sore and I’m not fully fit but I just wanted to play and help my team,” he said.

An own goal by Qatari defender Saoud Fath and one apiece from Qi Hong and Yang Chen put China firmly in the driving seat before the hour was up.

Qatar grabbed a consolation through Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi in front of a crowd best described as non-existent despite Lebanese organisers assuring the governing body the AFC that they would turn out in droves.

China’s keeper Jiang Jin had to produce a save of the highest calibre in the 50th minute from Mohammed Gholam’s back header leaping to touch it over the bar.

However, the contest was all over five minutes later as Shen Si’s superb 30-yard found Yang running in behind the defence who slotted it past ‘keeper Hussain Al-Romaihi.

The Qataris finally troubled the scorer in the 65th minute when Al-Enazi, known imaginatively as `Sheikh’, ran on to Gholam’s through ball and shot past Jiang Jin.

China deservedly took the lead in the 10th minute as Li Ming produced a brilliant piece of skill lobbing one defender before cutting in and curling the ball towards the far post only for Fath to chest it past Al-Romaihi.