Substitute striker Rooney snatched the winner for the Jets with a scintillating strike from the edge of the area in the final seconds of injury-time to put Newcastle in the box seat in the battle for second place in Group E.

The Jets sit in second on seven points and will travel to Korea in a fortnight's time knowing a draw against K-League side Ulsan Hyundai (six points) will ensure they progress to the next stage of the prestigious competition in their first ever ACL campaign.

"There is good character in this team. They are really starting to bond and gel and we have got a never-say-die attitude," said van Egmond.

Newcastle dominated play in the first half but were unable to capitalise on a glut of possession and some promising goal-scoring opportunities in an entertaining opening 45 minutes.

The visitors came out with more purpose in the second half and were rewarded with a determined goal from Ryan Griffiths in the 69th minute.

Newcastle gambled on an all-out attack for the final 15 minutes and eventually broke through courtesy of a lovely left-footed volley from Sasho Petrovski in the 88th minute before Rooney sealed victory in thrilling fashion in the dying stages of the match.

"We spoke about the fact that we didn't have anyone that stepped up and tried to win the last game against Nagoya when the game was there to be won.

"Tonight it was even harder circumstances in the fact that we went the goal down and to come back and win the game was just testament to our resolve.

"I am really happy for the boys and I am just really happy about the character that they showed. I think that will put them in really good stead for the rest of this ACL campaign and also for the upcoming A-League," said van Egmond.

The Jets coach heaped praise on the performances of Petrovski and big defender Ljubo Milicevic, who led a solid defence and also got forward in attack to provide the crucial assists that led to Newcastle's two goals.

He also said he was overjoyed with the performance of super-sub Rooney, who was given his chance when he replaced Matt Thompson in the 76th minute and rewarded the coach's decision by scoring the match-winning goal.

"I am really happy for him, he is a likeable kid," van Egmond said of Rooney. "He has been working really hard for us."

"He is an out-and-out goal-scorer. We have been trying to develop him to be able to play in a few different positions to give him some flexibility in that front third.

"But he has always had a knack of scoring goals even from a young age, so I am overjoyed for him."

Beijing coach Lee Jang-soo said he was disappointed by the loss but said he was pleased with his side's efforts in the heart-breaking defeat.

"The result is very disappointing for me but I am satisfied with our players," he said. "They tried their best and gave a good performance during the game."

The Beijing coach thought his side deservedly took the lead midway through the second half after he had asked his players to believe in themselves during the half-time break after some seem overawed by the occasion in the opening stanza.

"During the first half some of our players played without confidence especially in controlling the ball," he said.

"At half-time I requested of them to be self confident and to focus more on attack, and they did."

"But with the intensity of the Asian Champions League and the Chinese Super League our players were really tired and they had a problem with concentration."