A last-gasp Ma Long goal salvaged China as the Chinese youngsters rallied from two goals down twice to draw 3-3 with surprise Vietnam here at the AFC Under-17 Championship.

The defending champions China, who downed Syria 1-0 in their Monday game thanks to a last-minute free kick from Wang Yongxin, placed second behind Vietnam due to goal difference.

The other Group D game saw Syria sweep Bangladesh 7-0 to keep alive their hopes of making last 16.

The Chinese defending four made repeated errors consecutively in the first half while Vietnam put them ahead 2-0 after Tran Viet Trung and Dao Ngoc Phuoc's strikes within just three minutes.

China were unable to open their account until Wang Yunlong converted on a spot kick in the 64th minute.

Vietnam midfielder Le Xuan Truong was given marching orders after he collected the second yellow card in the 72nd minute but the Chinese youngsters, whose pioneers were crowned at the last edition of the tournament in Japan, 2004, failed to take the advantage to level the score, and only found themselves 3-1 down one minute later when Nguyen Van Tran struck home to build up two-goal cushion again for Vietnam.

China finally found the net in the 79th minute when Wang Yunlong headed his second goal on a Li Haifeng pass from the right.

The Vietnamese held on as time ticked until China's Ma Long headed home the equalizer in the last minute.

Source: Xinhua