China is still searching for the first win of their campaign after the nil-all result in hot and humid conditions in Doha, the scene for Australia's June 14 date with Qatar.

The visitors recorded a second consecutive draw and their third deadlocked match of the qualifiers to remain a point behind Qatar in third place in Group One of the Asian zone.

Qatar came closest to breaking the deadlock when Sayd Ali Bechir hit the crossbar two minutes from time.

The group stage is now at the halfway mark with Australia, which face Iraq on Saturday and Qatar seven days later, heading the standings.

Australia top the group with seven points from three matches, with Qatar second on four points and China third on three. Iraq have just one point.

Elsewhere, Japan bounced back from a surprise defeat to Bahrain in style as they romped to a comfortable win over Oman.

Yuji Nakazawa, Yasuhito Okubo and Shunsuke Nakamura were on target as the hosts got their Group Two campaign back on track at Nissan Stadium.

Uzbekistan kept up the perfect start to their qualification campaign in emphatic style as they smashed seven past Singapore to ensure they remain top of Group Four with three wins.

Singapore could have leapfrogged its opponent on the table with victory but Uzbekistan blew the game open in the final 10 minutes of the first half when they scored three times.

Server Djeparov was on target twice while Vitaly Denisov added another to give them a 5-2 lead at the break.

Further goals from substitute Aziz Ibragimov and captain Maksim Shatskikh completed the Uzebeki scoring with John Wilkinson scoring a consolation goal for the hosts.

Syria claimed their first victory in Group Five at the expense of Kuwait.

Midfielder Jehad Al Houssain scored the only goal at Al-Abbasiyyin Stadium to lift Syria to the top of the standings, level on points with the United Arab Emirates.

UAE maintained their place at the top of Group Five following a goalless draw away to Iran at the Azadi Stadium on Monday.

Sayed Mohamed Adnan's second-half strike gave Bahrain a 3-2 win over Thailand at Rajamangala Stadium.

Turkmenistan defender Gochguly Gochguliyev missed a twice-taken penalty inside the opening minute as the home side played out a goalless draw with North Korea in their clash.

Despite Gochguliyev's miss, Turkmenistan held out under a constant stream of pressure to earn its first point of the qualifiers.

The result also prevents North Korea from taking top place in Group Three, instead trailing neighbours South Korea on goal difference.