Host China powers on; referee sent home

BEIJING, July 25 (Reuters) -- Hosts China moved into the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup as an Iran player and a referee from Bahrain were kicked out of the tournament on Sunday.

However, Bahrain enjoyed better fortune on the pitch, booking a place in the last eight for the first time.

China were never seriously troubled by Qatar as defender Xu Yunlong headed in from close range after 78 minutes to give the home side a 1-0 victory before a 62,000 crowd in Beijing.

The result means China finished top of Group A with seven points from three games, two ahead of Bahrain, who beat Indonesia 3-1 in a bad-tempered game in Jinan.

"The Chinese fans got what they deserved tonight -- attacking football with lots of chances," said China coach Arie Haan.

"It was difficult to break Qatar down but the players did what they had to do and China deserve to be first in the group."

China dominated from the start, defender Zheng Zhi and playmaker Shao Jiayi, two-goal hero of their 5-0 demolition of Indonesia in midweek, coming closest in a one-sided first half.

Xu finally settled Chinese nerves 12 minutes from time, bravely heading home from close range after captain Li Weifeng had knocked down a corner from Li Ming.

Substitute Sun Jihai, who plays for English premier league club Manchester City, was unlucky not to double China's lead in the 86th minute when his header crashed against the bar.

"Xu, who is a defender, scored for us and Sun Jihai almost scored. Every player is important to China. It is very important for us to go far in this tournament," said Dutchman Haan.

"We need to keep working hard and (we need) a little bit of luck."

China take on the runners-up from Group C in the quarter-finals on Friday.

BAHRAIN JOY

Bahrain advanced with a comfortable win over Indonesia. Husain Ali, A'ala Hubail and Talal Yusuf were all on target for the Gulf side, who finished the game with 10 men.

Defender Sayed Mohamed was sent off in the 77th minute for elbowing Indonesia's Ponaryo Astaman in the face.

His dismissal came on the day Iran's Mohammad Nosrati was kicked out of the tournament for stamping on an opponent in the 2-2 draw with Oman on Saturday.

Nosrati scored an injury-time equaliser for three-time champions Iran in an explosive Group D clash. But the defender should not have been on the pitch after deliberately trampling on the back of Oman striker Imad Ali.

The off-the-ball incident was completely missed by referee Abdul Rahman of Bahrain, who was promptly sent home by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Sunday.

"We felt this referee was no longer suitable to referee in the Asian Cup," said AFC general secretary Peter Velappan.

"The first duty is to protect the teams. No team should win or lose because of a referee's mistakes."

The AFC also banned two more Iran players, defenders Rahman Rezaei and Ali Badavi, for two matches after an extraordinary punch-up during the same game. The team mates came to blows after Rezaei gave away a needless free kick.

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