Maldives lost 1-0 to China

JAKARTA (Agencies): The Maldives, hammered last week 10-1 in Xian, China, held Bora Milutinovic's World Cup hopeful China to a solitary goal in the latest round of games in Group Nine of Asia's World Cup qualifying tournament Saturday.

A strike by German-based forward Xie Hui one minute before the end of the first half gave China the three points that put it level on points at the top of the group with Indonesia, which leads on goal-difference, as reported by www.footballasia.com.

Milutinovic's side had destroyed the Maldives in China last week but the Indian Ocean islander showed its strong home form again after opening its campaign with a 6-0 win over Cambodia in Male.

Indonesia will face Cambodia in Phnom Penh Sunday in its first away match but it must lose goalkeeper I Komang Putra who returned home after a leg injury, Antara reported.