The result put Group D wide open after India held Syria in another Group D match earlier. Uzbekistan top the group with four points but a defeat for them in their last match against the Syrians and China’s win over India would dump the Uzbeks out of the competition.

Likewise, China and Syria who both have two points from two matches need to win their matches to stay alive while India also have a slender chance if they manage to beat China and Uzbekistan beat Syria on Thursday.

Defender Jamshid Boltaboev’s cracking freekick gave Uzbekistan 1-0 lead in the 16th minute but a horrendous blunder from Uzbek goalie Eshbutaev Shokhrukhjon in the 43rd minute helped Hu Jinghang to bring the match at level which remained the same till the final whistle.

The Uzbeks were clearly the better side in the first half with their first chance coming in the 13th minute when midfielder Otabek Shukurov connected a fierce header that went inches wide of the side bar.

But the Central Asian country did not have to wait longer after Li Xiaoming brought down Mukhiddin Odilov at the edge of the penalty area. Boltaboev’s right-footer took the extreme right of the goal post leaving diving Chinese goalie Chen Wei no chance to put his hands on the ball.

Uzbekistan were unlucky not to double the lead in the 40th minute when Ravshanbek Khursanov’s powerful shot hit the Chinese goalie and then the side bar.

China’s first real chance was converted into goal thanks to fumbling goalie Shokhrukhjon who failed to gather Jinghang’s header cleanly and the ball cross the line giving a life-line to the Chinese.

The Chinese were more organized in the second half but Uzbekistan were the one trying to win the match. Chinese goalie Wei had to save efforts from Olilov, Doctonbek Khamdamov and Khursanov to earn a hard-fought point from the match.