A last-minute goal helped Switzerland take a berth in the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics from China yesterday in Beijing, but the match was stained by a controversial clocking problem which gave the Swiss several more seconds to net the decisive goal.

Claudia Riechsteiner was the heroine for the visiting team as it edged China 3-2 in the women's ice hockey Olympic qualifier. She fired a long-range shot which got past China's defense and goalie with only four seconds left.

The goal came in the final 10 seconds awarded by the referee after the clock failed to stop after China's final attack.

The Chinese, which only needed a tie to secure an Olympic berth, were already celebrating the end of the game when the referee ordered the extra time added.

"There were four seconds left but the referee put ten seconds on the clock," said Paul Strople, China's Canadian coach.

"They would not have been there without that six seconds," he said.

China, with a better goal difference, needed only a draw against Switzerland, which was also unbeaten before going into the final match.

"We are disappointed, we played good enough to win," said Strople who has coached the team for six months.

"It was a great game and we had a lot of chances.

"But we made a lot of mistakes and they got to score twice," he said.

Anyway, he is still upbeat about the team that will participate in the World Championships next year.

"It was a good learning experience for us because 70 per cent of team is very young."

The two sides tried every gear in the opening period of the do-or-die clash. Both were close to scoring several times.

China had some early trouble and was forced to play short-handed with two players in the penalty box.

China pulled ahead 40 minutes 48 seconds into the game. Ma Xiaojun netted a smart pass from Zhang Jing that got by Swiss goalie Patricia Sautter.

The Swiss levelled the score with a Daniela Diaz goal nine minutes later.

Zhang Ben took the lead for China again in the final period, with a goal in 52:48.

Not willing to give up, Laura Puhnke tossed in an equalizer for the Swiss half a minute later.

The Chinese squad has played in the Olympics twice, finishing fourth in the 1998 Nagano Games and seventh in the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

(China Daily November 15, 2004)