A flurry of second half goals ensured the nervy victory for Qatar who had gone into the game knowing that only a win would have guaranteed them a ticket through to the last eight.

In the end, Qatar assumed pole position by the narrowest of margins after scoring more goals than either second-placed Indonesia or the United Arab Emirates in the games between the trio.

The 2014 title winners will now meet the yet to be decided runners-up in Group B, with Sunday’s encounter sure to be a titanic tussle given that both a spot in the semi-finals and a berth at next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup will be up for grabs.

A 23rd-minute goal from Witan Sulaeman gave the hosts the lead, but they had to dig deep to hold out after captain Nurhidayat Haji Haris was sent off early in the second half.

Qatar's 4-0 win over Chinese Taipei in Bogor means the United Arab Emirates are out of the competition, suffering the cruellest of eliminations to be edged out on goals scored in matches between the three Group A sides tied on six points.

The West Asians join Group B leaders Japan as sides to have already stamped their ticket to the quarter finals, after they defied monsoonal rain to beat now eliminated China PR 1-0, thanks to Abdulmohsen Al Qahtani's late goal.

"It was a great match and the Chinese team was very, very strong. They played very well and showed a lot of skill during the match," Abdullah Atawi  said in reflection.

"The circumstances of the weather affected our performance. We had hoped we'd be better than this but this situation is what affected us, but we got the points and that's the most important thing from the match."

Milicic refuses to underestimate the West Asians ahead of the clash, from which the Young Socceroos need just one point to advance to the quarter finals, recalling his involvement in the senior Australian side's 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat to the Jordanians in October, 2015.

"I'm expecting a tough game," he said. "This group, for me, is the toughest group in the tournament no doubt."

"I think I said on the first day, my experience with the senior national team playing against Jordan - I understand their mentality and their type of football. We definitely won't underestimate them."

With Japan already confirmed as Group B winners, the Koreans head into Thursday’s game against Thailand knowing that a win would guarantee them second place behind their regional rivals and a ticket through to the last eight.

Having seen his side lose to Japan on Matchday One and then subsequently beat Iraq to revive their title hopes, Ri is now acutely aware of the need for a victory against Thailand, three points which would edge his charges ever closer to their first target – a place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The 2-2 draw at Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium kept Hodak's charges in contention for the last eight, though only just, with one point from two matches following last Saturday's 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.

The Southeast Asians now must beat China PR on Friday, and hope Tajikistan suffer defeat against the Saudis, to stay in with a chance of their first quarter-final appearance in 14 years.

The 18-year-old forward has found the net three times in two games to help Japan secure successive victories, and guarantee the reigning championship both pole position in Group B and a ticket through to the quarter-finals.

After coming off the bench to score against DPR Korea on Matchday One, Miyashiro bagged two more on Monday’s 3-1 win over Thailand, a well-taken brace that capped a consummate performance from the Tokyo native.