ISTANBUL (FIBA World Championship for Women) - Down by double digits going into the final quarter, China staged a splendid comeback to post a 72-67 win over Belarus on Wednesday and power their way into the Quarter-Finals of the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.

The win, which means that Tom Maher's team will take on EuroBasket Women 2013 winners Spain on Friday, also sees China progress to the Last Eight in the leading women's national team tournament for the first time since they hosted it in 2002.

Under Maher, China have made it as far as the Semi-Finals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"We just stopped making stupid mistakes," the Australian coach said afterward.

"We were playing an equal game. Just that it wasn't showing on the scoreboard.

"Once we cut down those mistakes we were on."

China stared a 60-47 deficit at the end of the third quarter. However, a 21-4 run not only only got them right back into the game but also enabled them to take their first big lead and held on.

Shao Ting, who capped that run with a jumper followed by a three-pointer, had a personal career-high of 23 points. Fifteen came in the second half, including nine in the final period alone.

That Chinese rally caught Belarus napping.

Yelena Leuchanka did it all for Belarus, missing out on the first triple of the tournament, with 16 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. But 12 of those points came in the first half.

Tatsiana Likhtarovich had a team-high 20 points, but only six of those came after the break.

Belarus made the first move at the start of the second quarter after being in front 20-19 in an evenly-matched opening period.

Natallia Anufryienka entered the game and provided the additional firepower needed before Leuchanka, Likhtarovich and Snytsina spearheaded an 11-0 run that helped Belarus build a 31-21 lead with five minutes left in the first half.

They headed to the locker room up 43-32 and Snytsina took care of business at the start of second half, further strengthening her team's grip on the game.

Up 60-47 with 10 minutes left to play, the Belarusians were in control and looked to have one foot in Friday's Quarter-Finals before the Chinese outscored them 25-7 for a most improbable and spectacular win.

FIBA