The draw marked China’s third-straight tournament without success, after setbacks at last year’s East Asian Football Federation Championship and this summer’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Playing at the Xiamen Egret Stadium in front of 22,000 fans, striker Wurigumula thought she had put China ahead after 20 minutes, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

South Korean defender Shim Seo-yeon’s header gave the visitor’s the lead just after the hour mark.

The team’s captain Wang Shanshan, who Shui again used in defence until the last 20 minutes, equalised soon after.

Midfielder Yan Jinjin almost grab victory at the death, but fired just wide of the post minutes from the end.

Shui apologised to the fans after the match, but claimed her players “demonstrated some really good technique and tactical awareness”.

“I am sad, and felt heartbroken for the girls,” the 56-year-old said. “Everyone has been fighting so hard since the start of the year.

“We realised the difference as well as our shortcomings and we trained hard every day trying to change and make adjustments, but it looked like the changes were not good and fast enough.”

Also admitting the gap between China and the world’s top teams was “visible”, Shui said the focus should be on the next generation of players.

Fans have long been critical of Shui’s tactical approach, and did not hold back after the team’s failure to make the Olympics.

“All these results proved the head coach was too conservative and stubborn,” a Weibo user wrote. “She couldn’t link up the players and shouldn’t be the coach any more.”

“It’s time for a new coach with no big matches to play over the next few years,” another used said.

Shui’s decision to keep Wang in the centre of defence, as she did at the World Cup to little effect, did not go unnoticed.

“Are we going to see a different result if we had put Wang upfront earlier?” a user from Jiangsu questioned.

“From the World Cup to the Asian Games and then the Olympics qualifiers, Wang was always put at the back, I’d say the coach did the damage herself and reaped the consequences,” another comment read.

Except for missing the London Games in 2012, China has been represented at every Olympics since women’s football was included in 1996, which was the same year Shui helped her team win silver in Atlanta.

But the team has never managed to finish higher than fifth at subsequent Games.

China’s loss was Uzbekistan’s gain, and as best group runner-up, they will play Australia, while North Korea will face Japan over two legs on February 24 and 28, with the winners qualifying for next year’s Olympics.