Australia beat China in FIFA World Cup qualifier

DOHA - Australia beat China 3-0 here on Thursday in their opener of the final round of the FIFA World Cup Asian Zone qualifying tournament.

Awer Mabil opened the scoring with a right-footed shot from very close range in the 24th minute.

Assisted by Tomas Rogic, Martin Boyle added a goal in the 26th minute with a shot outside the box.

Mitchell Duke sealed the win at 3-0 on 70 minutes with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal.

China have been drawn into Group B of the final round with Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Vietnam. The top two will qualify for Qatar 2022 directly. The third finisher will play a home-and-away playoff with its counterpart in Group A, and the winner will go into a continental playoff.

Elsewhere on Thursday, Saudi Arabia rallied to beat Vietnam 3-1, Oman stunned Japan 1-0 with a late goal in Osaka.