China's already slim chance of qualifying for next year's Sydney Olympics receded even further when it was held to a 1-1 home draw by arch-rivals South Korea on October 29 night.

The result leaves South Korea, who has notched up seven points from three matches with a home fixture against winless Bahrain remaining, well-poised to make the 2000 Sydney Olympics, while China, on four points with a 1-1-1 record, only had mathematical chances.

"I would be quite surprised if we would still qualify, " China head coach Bobby Houghton said at the post-match press conference.

The home players opened strongly with clear intentions to break a South Korean jinx cursing them for over a decade, with striker Li Jinyu managing a raking header when the match was just three- minute old and midfielder Zhao Junzhe's 30-meter screamer rattling the bar on 10 minutes.

But a schoolboy blunder by the goalkeeper Chen Dong in the first half injury time cost China dearly, of which South Korean star striker Lee Dong Gook took full advantage and headed the visiting side to 1-0 lead against the run of play.

Englishman Houghton re-shuffled his attacking line-up at the interval in what proved to be a right move, throwing on injury- troubled striker Zhang Yuning and stylish midfielder Zhang Xiaorui.

Zhang salvaged a well-deserved draw for the home side 10 minutes into the second half, wriggling past three South Korean defenders before lashing a shot which took a wicked deflection off another opposite defender to land in the net.

A Chinese defence short of an injury-hit Sun Jihai, former English first division side Crystal Palace player, was ripped through again by South Korea eight minutes from time, but substitute Lee Kwan Woo's shot was smothered by Chen Dong.

"It was a well-balanced game and both sides were outstanding. But we're regretful we didn't win and take all three points," South Korean head coach Huh Jung-Moon said.

Said Houghton: "It was a very close, very good game. It could be won by either side. It's the question of whether you take the chances or not.

"We're disappointed with the result but not the performances or our players."