India colts in tough group in AFC U 19 qualifiers

New Delhi, Dec 23 (UNI) India have been drawn in a tough Group B along with Iran, Bahrain, Oman and Pakistan in the AFC Under 19 championship qualification competition which will take place next year, according to the draws held in Kaula Lumpur.

The top-two teams from each of the seven groups along with the best third-placed team advance to the 16-team finals, to be held in Saudi Arabia in 2008. The host country qualifies automatically for the finals.

All the qualification matches will be played in one centralised venue hosted by one country in the group.

The draws of the 42 teams were based on the AFC Youth Championship 2006 rankings, according to information received here today.

North Korea, who won the Asian Youth championship in India beating Japan on penalties in the final, have been drawn in a relatively easy Group F with China, Malaysia, Macau, Singapore and East Timor.

Japan are strong favourites to qualify from Group E after being clubbed in the pool with Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Maldives and Chinese Taipei.

Meanwhile in the AFC Under-16 championship qualifiers, India have been placed in a tricky Group C along with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Lebanon and Bhutan.

The qualification competition will be held next year and the venue of finals in 2008 will be announced later.

Title-holders Japan should face little trouble in booking a berth for the finals after being slotted in an easy Group F along with Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos, while runners-up North Korea are in a tricky Group G with Australia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Maldives and East Timor.

The winners and runners-up of the first seven groups qualify for the finals along with the winner of the three-team Group H. The yet to be identified hosts also qualify automatically for the finals.

The Groupings: AFC Under 19 qualifiers: Group A: Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Mongolia Group B: Iran, India, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon, Pakistan Group C: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Syria, Qatar, Turkmenistan, Bhutan Group D: Jordan, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Nepal, Palestine, Afghanistan Group E: Japan, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Maldives, Chinese Taipei.

Group F: DPR Korea, China, Malaysia, Macau, Singapore, East Timor Group G: Korea Republic, Australia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Guam AFC Under 16 qualifiers: Group A: Syria, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan Group B: Iran, Nepal, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Afghanistan Group C: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, India, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Bhutan Group D: Tajikistan, Bangladesh, UAE, Uzbekistan, Palestine, Turkmenistan Group E: China, Singapore, Guam, Mongolia, Macau, Philippines Group F: Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos Group G: North Korea, Myanmar, Australia, Malaysia, Maldives, East Timor Group H: Korea Republic, Thailand, Chinese Taipei UNI PDS PM DS1513