Bundesliga side Cottbus' playermaker Shao Jiayi converted a last-gasp pivotal penalty kick to give China an embarrassing 1-0 win over Singapore at an Asian Cup qualifier in Tianjin on Wednesday (Aug. 16th).

Chinese player Shao Jiayi celebrates after his last-gasp pivotal peanalty kick gave China a 1-0 win over Singapore at an Asian Cup qualifier in Tianjin Wednesday. [Xinhua]

Chinese head coach Zhu Guanghu may find it hard to hold his place as China seemed rusty throughout the game and had few methods facing a staunch Singapore side. And it was not until the last minute into additional time that they could clinch victory with Shao's unerring drive.

Zhu was under big pressure before the match as the team lost to Iraq 1-2 in the previous game. Zhu had said that he would leave the post if the squad were defeated by Singapore.

The hosts dominated the first half, launching waves of attacks to claim their superiority. But Singapore's defense deemed pretty solid and China could only produce threats through set-pieces. Shao bent a sharp-angle free kick in the first minute, but goalie Lionel Lewis denied his efforts with a full-stretched save.

The in-form keeper stopped Xu Liang's goal-bound long-range thunderbolt at the end of the first half, parrying the ball aside the far post. Singapore posed pressure to China by some counter attacks, but had small effect.

Substitute midfielder Zhao Xuri received his marching orders for a deliberate foul on 64 minutes, just 13 minutes after he was brought on to replace Tao Wei. China slowed the pace on the pitch with 10 men, giving the opponents more space and gradually lost their dominance. Singapore went close in the 67th minute with a low free kick, only to be saved by Li Leilei.

Hitman Li Jinyu wasted a good chance when his timely half volley inside the box went wide of the near post. Shao hit the post four minutes before the end with a fine-curved free kick.

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Editor: Donald