Qatar have completed a perfect group stage record in the Asian Cup with a 1-0 win over China to top group A.
Joining the hosts in the last 16 are tournament debutants Tajikistan who came from behind against Lebanon to take second place with a 2-1 win on Monday.
Qatar won all three group matches without conceding a goal and will move into the knock-out stages with a real belief they can repeat their shock 2019 triumph in the competition.
China, however, are facing a humiliating early exit, failing to even score a goal in the finals.
Facing a Qatar team with several players rested they were beaten by a marvellous 66th-minute finish by Hassan Al-Haydos. The veteran volleyed in from outside the area after a corner picked him out directly, two minutes after he had come on as substitute.
The one sour note for Qatar was reserve goalkeeper Salah Zakariah suffering a painful facial injury 15 minutes after he came on as a half-time substitute, which meant they fielded all three 'keepers.
Simultaneously, in a match garlanded by three superb goals, Tajikistan took full advantage of a 56th-minute red card awarded against Lebanon's Kassem El Zain after the intervention of the VAR (Video Assistant Referee).
The technology was not all in their favour though. The semi-automated offside system ruled out Tajikistan goals either side of Bassel Jradi's expertly curled 47th minute opener for Lebanon.
There was nothing wrong, however, with Parvizdzhon Umarbayev's superb free-kick on 80 minutes. Nor a sublime back-headed goal by Nuriddin Khamrokulov two minutes into 16 minutes of injury-time.
That put Lebanon out and China will follow them unless Palestine draw with Hong Kong, and, in Australia's group, Syria draw 0-0 with India, both matches on Tuesday. That would enable China to progress as one of the best third-placed finishers.
Australia, who are already through, play Uzbekistan on Tuesday needing a draw to win the group.
