BANGKOK (Dec 8, 1998 ) - World Cup veterans Iran crashed to a stunning 4-2 defeat at the hands of tiny Oman at the Asian Games on Tuesday while co-favourites China had a comfortable 3-1 win over Tajikistan in opening second round Group K matches.

Hosts Thailand drew 1-1 with Kazakhstan despite a senior football official's promise to seal their goal with magic, while Qatar edged Lebanon 1-0 in the other Group L match.

Somphan Kamkom, Secretary General of the Thai Football Association, told reporters he was the medium of a god spirit and could prevent Khazakhstan scoring to give the hosts a boost towards the knockout quarter-final stage.

The promise, however, did not hold up for long despite Thailand taking a 4th minute lead through Dusit Chalermsan. In the 20th minute, Viktor Zubarev snatched an equaliser and the Uzbeks then packed their defence and refused to be drawn out.

Iran, fielding most of the side which went to the 1998 World Cup finals in France, could have used a little magic.

They took a 20th minute lead through Bayern Munich striker Ali Daei, who burst down the left, cut inside and cracked the ball home, but four minutes later Mohammed Zayid whipped in an equaliser from 25 metres (yards).

The Iranians then suffered a moment of pure farce in the 41st minute as centre back Nader Mohammadkhani suddenly decided to leave a harmless through ball to Behzad Gholampur, not realising the goalkeeper was standing almost beside him.

The ball rolled into the net from the edge of the penalty area despite Gholampur's frantic scramble to stop it.

Mohammadkhani was also responsible for the Omanis going 3-1 up in the 51st minute, giving the ball away 40 metres from goal and having to watch Faraj Hani collect a centre, turn and score.

Vahid Hashemian pulled one back for Iran in the 63rd minute with a glancing header after Ali Daie headed a corner back across the penalty area.

Iran piled on the pressure, but flying Omani bodies kept their goal intact and the Gulf side sealed a treasured win with a breakaway goal in injury time by Salim Radhwan which left their normally voluble Brazilian coach Valdeir Viera groping for words.

"I don't know how I feel," said the coach Iran sacked last year after only three games in charge. "If we played Iran 10 times, I don't think we would win more than one or two."

But he said it would still be difficult for Oman to qualify for the quarter-finals as one of the top two teams in Group K.

"We have to play China on Wednesday and after all the extra effort today, I don't know if I can get this team ready for another battle so soon," Viera said.

China, reinforced by four players based in Europe, began their campaign for a quarter-final spot impressively.

"The first 20 minutes were the best we've played," said English coach Bob Houghton.

It took only eight minutes for the powerful Chinese side, gold medal favourites alongside Iran and Kuwait, to crack the Tajik defence as Zhao Junzhe rounded off a sparkling move.

The Tajik defence was punctured regularly throughout the match and the Chinese were guilty of some bad misses, especially early in the second half.

A 53rd minute equaliser came as a surprise against a defence well run by Fan Zhiyi of Crystal Palace in the English First Division as Rustam Zabirov managed to sneak in to head home.

Houghton immediately brought on Li Jinyu of French First Division side Nancy and was swiftly rewarded as the striker headed in a cross after the Tajik defence had been ripped apart.

Tajikistan sealed their own fate in the 71st minute when Takhirdjon Muminov diverted a low cross into his own goal.

Houghton played down China's chances of gold.

"It's a fairly even group," he said. "We tend to have a period in each game where we let our opponents back into the game after being well in control. We've got to cut that out."