Chinese players celebrate the winning after the match between China and Croatia at 2017 China Cup International Football Championship in Nanning, capital of South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Jan 14, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

NANNING - Wang Jingbin scored China's equalizer in the 89th minute before the hosts beat Croatia 5-4 after penalty shoot-outs to place the third in the 2017 Gree China Cup International Football Championship here on Saturday.

Luka Ivanusec opened the account for Croatia in the 36th minute.

Wang, who replaced Hui Jiakang in the 76th minute, swung in his header 13 minutes later, just on his second touch of the ball.

China thus forced the match to the penalty shoot-outs. Antonio Perosevic hit his kick against the bar in the third attempt, before Croatian goalkeeper Andrej Prskalo blocked the shot from Fan Xiaodong.

Then came the Chinese goalie Shi Xiaotian who blocked the effort of Josip Misic in the fifth round before Wang Jinxian made it to secure the victory for the hosts.

The match also marked the first goal as well as the first win for Marcello Lippi as the head coach of the Chinese team.

China will play South Korea on home turf in Changsha for their World Cup qualifier on March 23.