Gao shines as China sweep past Panama

Inspired striker Gao Lin scored one and made another when China thrashed Panama 4-1 to keep their winning record in their final group match of the FIFA World Youth Championship on Friday.

China, already qualified for the knock-out stage when they beat Ukraine 3-2 in their second group match, fielded a 4-5-1line-up with only Gao Lin up front as his striking partner ZhuTing was suspended for this game.

China did not wait too long for their first goal and in the 5th minute, midfielder Zhou Haibin, also a member with China'ssenior national team, drew the first blood when he latched onto adeft pass by teammate Lu Lin from the left and drove it past Panama goalkeeper Ricardo Buitrago with great composure.

Panama, who are physically inferior to China, though oftenfelll victim to China's offside trap, managed to penetrate China's defence several times with short passes but could not score before inspired China's goalkeeper Yang Cheng.

In the 36th minute, they pulled it even through central defender Jose Venegas who headed in a precise corner from Ricardo Buitrago.

Three minutes later, China regained their lead thanks to Gao who headed it home after meeting a pinpoint cross from midfielder Wang Hongliang.

Gao was very happy with his own performance. "To score a goalfor me is only a question of time I think, I wanted to pay the coach's trust in me back with this goal," he said.

The striker sent a warning to China's next opponents by promising to score more goals. "My form is becoming better andbetter, and I am sure I will be able to bag more goals," he added.

Five minutes after the restart, Gao, who was hailed as a heroby head coach Eckhard Krautzun for his outstanding performance inthe match with Ukraine, dished out a lethal cross from the left after beating two Panama defenders.

Buitrago tried to parry theball and it bounced comfortably to China's racing-up midfielder Hao Junmin who poked the ball past fallen, helpless Buitrago.

In the 61st minute a defensive lapse by China left Edwin Aguilar unmarked inside the area but he shot it directly to Yang.Two minutes later China also squandered a good chance when Lu sawhis solo run thwarted by Buitrago.

But Buitrago found it impossible to stop the midfileder in the 77th mintue when Lu curled a world-class direct kick into theright top corner.

Even Eckhard Krautzun, head coach of China was surprised by his side's seemingly unstoppable attack.

"I was a little bit worried about our attack before the tournament, but I think now if you can always score three or four goals every game, it is enough to win," the 63-year-old German coach said.

"The win brings a lot of confidence to my players and I am also confident that we can go further," he said.

Source: Xinhua