Striker Gao Lin scored a hat-trick as China clinched a convincing 6-1 victory over Vietnam to get their first win in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in Hangzhou on Wednesday.

China lost to Syria 3-2 in the first match, and the three points are much-needed for them.

Striker Gao Lin put the hosts ahead merely two minutes into the game, but Vietnam levelled the score 10 minutes later with Nguyen Vu Phong's low drive in the box.

China took the lead again on 21 minutes from Gao Lin's solo performance. The hitman burst through two defenders before sidefooting home a low drive. Du Wei, Jiang Ning had another two before the break.

Midfielder Hao Junmin contributed the fifth at the beginning of the second half following Qu Bo's fine cut-back, before Gao rounded off the night with a fierce shot inside the area.

(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2009)