Tomita is in a strong position to retain his all-around title

China finished ahead of Olympic champions Japan, who were led by all-round title holder Hiroyuki Tomita.

But there was disaster for the US who could only finish 13th, missing out on a place in the eight-team final.

Great Britain slipped down to 19th but still managed to secure a place at next year's World Championships.

The Americans, the 2004 Olympic silver medallists, were without Olympic all-round and 2003 world champion Paul Hamm and the inexperienced team struggled in their final two events - the parallel bar and high bar.

The previous worst by a US men's team was ninth place in 1994.

Russia, Romania, Canada, Germany, Switzerland and Belarus will compete against China and Japan for team honours.

Tomita, who has qualified for three individual finals, leads the all-around competition on 93.525 ahead of Chinese duo Yang Wei (92.600) and Chen Yibing (92.475).

German teenager Fabian Hambuechen, who had the fifth highest score with 91.075, is the leading European challenger.

China's Feng Jing, the 2001 all-around champion, had the fourth highest score but lost out to Yang and Yibing with only the top two per country advancing to Thursday's 24-man final.

Olympic high bar champion Igor Cassina of Italy failed to make his individual final after falling on Saturday.

Greece's Olympic rings title-holder Dimosthenis Tampakos and double Olympic vault winner Gervasio Deferr of Spain also failed to advance.