Bangkok: Khalid Muneer scored a second half equalizer as Qatar and Syria shared a hard-fought 1-1 draw at the AFC U-16 Championship on Sunday as in Group D at Rajamangala Stadium. Qatar's speedy winger Abdulrasheed Umaru, lively in the early stages, forced the game's first valid effort at goal, shooting just wide from the edge of the box after cutting in from the left. Following a handful of less threatening missed chances for Qatar, Syria grew into the game and scored the first goal against the run of play on 22 minutes, striker Anas Al Aji netted Syria's first goal in the tournament, after a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in the opening round. The Syrian goal had the young Qataris rattled, but soon enough they managed to pick up their momentum once again came agonizingly close to leveling the score several times, but Hassan Palang and Umaru failed to convert in front of the goal. Qatar deservingly equalized the score through Khalid Muneer in the 63rd minute, the skillful No.10 managed to get past two Syrian defenders before hitting the back of the net, springing Oscar Fernandez's boys into life in quest of their first win in the group. The chances kept coming - at both ends. Palang's shot from Muneer's flick lacked the power to beat the Syrian keeper while Umaru saw a shot blocked from inside the Syria six-yard box. Just before the final whistle there was a major sense of salvation for Qatar when the very well gifted Nasser Al Ahrak cut the ball back from the right byeline for the onrushing Abdullah Al Muraisi, who went down under a tackle in the box to be rewarded a irrefutable penalty. however, to the heartbreak of Qatar, skipper Khalifa Al Manaseer was denied by keeper Willian Ghanam, keeping the group open for all teams until the end of the final round this Thursday. Qatar now have one point and find themselves required to regional rivals Saudi Arabia in their last group stage match if they are to make the final eight. Qatar line-up: Mohammed Saeed (GK) Khalifa Al Manaseer (C), Khalid Mubarak, Meshaal Ibrahim, Abdulrasheed Umaru, Nasser Al Ahrak, Hassan Palang, Khalid Muneer, Ahmed Al Megheseeb, Khalifa Saad, Khalid Idris. Syria line-up: William Ghanam (GK), Omar Lahlah, Hassan Karam, Mohammed Loulo, Mohammed Basel, Ahmed Rajab, Mohammed Jaddoua (C), Anas Al Aji, Hadi Brghol, Mahmoud Kibabi, Abdulrahman Barakat.