China's Zheng Zhi(L) controls the ball during a friendly soccer match against Qatar at the Al-Gharafa Stadium in Doha Nov. 24, 2006. China lost to Qatar 2-0.  -Xinhua/Reuters

Chinese midfielder Chen Tao admitted after China's 2-0 loss to Qatar in a warm-up game for the Asian Games on Friday that the host team was faster, and more mature and aggressive.

"There is a gap between Qatar and China. The host team played aggressively since the very beginning and kept us at bay," said the 21-year-old, who plays for the Chinese super league club Shenyang.

"We were not used to their tough play," he added.

China's head coach Ratomir Dujkovic, or Dui as he is called in China, said earlier that the Chinese team was good for at least a silver medal in the Asian Games.

Chen, however, didn't seem as much optimistic.

"Dui just came to coach our team and we need to know each other better," said Chen.

Nan Yong, vice chairman of the Chinese Football Association, said Qatar was "one or two notches up over the Chinese team, both in speed and power."