China forward Jiang Xiaochen tries to muscle his way through the Turkmenistan defence in their Group C opener.TASHKENT – Guo Yi’s 83rd minute strike secured a deserved 2-1 win for China in their AFC U-16 Championship Group C opener against Turkmenistan at Pakhtakor Stadium on Sunday.
China dominated for the majority of the contest but fell behind as Turkmenistan opened the scoring against the run of play through Didar Durdiyev’s 30th minute free-kick.
The advantage lasted just two minutes as Nan Yunqi equalised with a neat close range finish, and after China failed to convert a host of second half chances and domination, Guo netted to hand his side all three points and leave hard-working Turkmenistan devastated.
China had Turkmenistan pinned inside their own half from the start but failed to find the target as Guo fired wide inside the first minute and Nan headed over from Wang Jian’s deep left wing cross.
Turkmenistan goalkeeper Kurbanmurad Karayev was called into action after nine minutes as he turned away Nan’s snapshot from inside the area before Zheng Kaimu flashed an effort wide.
Nan should have handed China a 22nd minute lead but after beating the Turkmenistan offside trap, scuffed his shot from the edge of the area which allowed an exposed Karayev to scramble the ball clear.
But it was the Turkmen who opened the scoring against the run of play. China captain Yu Rui upended a flying Yhlas Magtymov 20 yards from goal and Durdiyev curled the set piece over the wall and past the despairing dive of China goalkeeper Zhang Zhenqiang, who had previously been untroubled.
China, though, fired an instant response as Nan out-muscled his marker to met Jiang Xiaochen’s low cross at the front post.
In the closing stages of the first half Sun Dong had an effort deflected wide, while at the other end Zhang saved Dovran Allamyradov’s low drive.
Six minutes before the hour Karayev turned Guo’s rising shot from just inside the area over the crossbar before the custodian palmed away Jiang’s skidding low shot from distance.
Zheng blazed into the side netting after meeting Gou’s cross at the far post before Sun fired wide from the edge of the area as China continued to dominate without reward.
But with just seven minutes left on the watch, Guo was allowed time on the left side of the area and his attempted cross sliced off the outside of his foot and squeezed inside the upright past Karayev.
Source:The AFC.com
