TIANJIN, China — Xu Yuan scored her second goal in as many games Saturday to help China rally to a 1-1 draw with Canada, putting the host in position to advance to the women's Olympic football quarterfinals.

Yuan, who scored the opening goal in Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Sweden, found the net in the 36th minute to leave China and Canada with four points each atop Group E. China has only winless Argentina remaining, while Canada must face Sweden, a semifinalist four years ago in Athens.

The top two teams from each of the three women's groups advance along with the two best third-place teams.

"Normally with four points, we would hope to get out of the group," China coach Shang Ruihua said. "Argentina is developing fast, but we'll do our best."

Kara Lang helped give Canada the lead in the 34th, intercepting an attempted clearance and chipping the ball into the path of a streaking Christine Sinclair. The Canadian veteran took one touch and hit a low right-footed shot past goalkeeper Zhang Yanru and into the net.

"In the beginning of the first half, we played pretty good, and also in the last minutes," Shang said. "In between we had problems."

China leveled two minutes later when Xu — unmarked after receiving Lou Jaihui's through ball — rounded Canada goalkeeper Erin McLeod and struck a low shot that defender Randee Hermus failed to clear off the line in a sliding attempt.

For the second game in a row, China enjoyed the thunderous support from the home crowd — announced at 52,600 in the 60,000-seat Tianjin Olympic Sports Center Stadium. Although short of official capacity, there didn't appear to be an empty seat.

Both sides made one personnel change from their opening victories, both for apparent injuries. Hermus replaced Canada forward Melissa Tancredi, forcing a number of tactical changes, while 17-year-old Lou came in for Han Duan. Lou replaced Han in the 83rd minute of China's 2-1 victory over Sweden on Wednesday, 11 minutes after Han had scored the winning goal.

Canada coach Even Pellerud moved Sinclair from her forward spot to a withdrawn position on the left. With Lang alone up front, Sinclair found more space than on Wednesday, when the Canadians beat Argentina 2-1.

"I did not expect us to be as dominant as we were," Pellerud said, adding that his changes were made to use the "fresh legs" of the replacements.

"Christine is smooth and smart about her positioning. She's able to play in many positions."

Both sides hit the post in the second half Saturday. Lang struck a right-footed shot that smacked the right post in the 58th, while Xu's header clipped the bar in the 79th from Bi Yan's free kick.

China had the last chance in the fifth minute of injury time, when Bi managed to find space in the penalty area to launch a shot that McLeod had to dive to knock around her left post.