China suffered a devastating exit from the Asian 2006 World Cup qualifiers yesterday despite thrashing Hong Kong 7-0 at home.

Kuwait beat Malaysia 6-1 in the other Group Four match to advance to next year's final round of qualifiers on goals scored after both teams finished with 15 points from six games.

China coach Arie Haan had said his contract would be terminated if his team failed to qualify but the Dutchman side-stepped the question after the match.

"I hope everything will not be destroyed," he said. "I hope they don't start again from zero. I'd like to say that the future is there. Don't start again - go on."

Shao Jiayi and Li Jinyu scored twice but Zheng Zhi missed a 71st-minute penalty for China, who had made their World Cup finals debut in 2002.

A 1-0 defeat in Kuwait last month left China's qualification hopes hanging by a thread.

Needing to score two more goals than Kuwait, they almost pulled off an improbable escape act but fell agonisingly short after captain Li Weifeng's 90th-minute goal.

China's players were in tears with several sobbing as they boarded the team bus after the match.