DOHA: SkipperAbdelkareem Hassan scored a brace as hosts Qatar kicked off their 2016 Olympic Games dream with a 3-1 win against an impressive China on the opening day of the AFC U-23 Championship. China scored the first goal of the Group A clash at Lekhwiya Stadium through Liao Lisheng in the 43rd minute but coach Felix Sanchez's young Qatar side hit back with three goals within 16 minutes in the second half. The top three sides at the Jan 12-30 event will seal a berth each at the football competition at the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janiero Hassan scored two goals (66 and 72) in the second half followed by a strike from substitute Ahmed Alaa (82) that gave the home team three points. In an earlier Group A clash, football powerhouse Iran fired two second-half goals to crush Syria 2-0 at the Al Sadd Stadium in what was the first game of the event. China took the lead through Li Sheng in the 43rd minute as home fans seemed disappointed at the end of the first half. In the 66th minute, Hassan headed home from close range to give Qatar their first goal. A few minutes after the first goal, Qatar got the lead when Hassan found the back of the Chinese net in the 72nd minute as his long rangepile-driver ended a masterful string of 22 consecutive passes. Substitute Alaa, who came in for Ali in the 80th minute, scored the third goal in the 82nd minute. Felix's young side now will prepare for their game against Iran on January 15 followed by a clash against Syria on January 18.