Schwarzer's late save secures draw for Australia

BEIJING (Reuters) - Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saved an 89th-minute penalty to help an injury-depleted Australia side scrape a 0-0 draw against China in their Asian World Cup qualifier in Kunming on Wednesday.

The veteran Middlesbrough stopper went from villain to hero in the space of a minute, saving Shao Jiayi's spot kick after he brought down Chinese striker Qu Bo in the penalty area.

"To lose that match to a late penalty would have been a disaster for us because I thought we deserved to get something out of the game," Schwarzer told Australian television.

"When you look at the preparation we've had it's an amazing result."

Australia went into the match, played in front of a near-capacity crowd in the southwest China city, minus Harry Kewell and a number of their key Europe-based players who withdrew late with injuries.

Schwarzer's heroics were the counterpoint to a disappointing display from China, whose strikers missed a number of goal-scoring opportunities in a largely defensive and scrappy encounter.

EARLY CHANCES

Zhu Ting failed to capitalise on several early chances, volleying over the bar twice from close range, while Zheng Zhi's mistimed 35th-minute strike allowed Schwarzer time to scramble across his line and prevent the hosts from taking the lead.

Already short of options up front, Australia's injury woes were compounded when striker Archie Thompson was forced off after just eight minutes.