Asian Cup Australia 2015 Draw

[aleague]

Renewal of rivalries will be the main feature of the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015™ qualifiers after the preliminary draw for Asia's flagship national team tournament was held here on Tuesday.

Twenty teams were divided into five groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group and the best third-placed team among all the groups will qualify for the tournament proper to be held in Australia in 2015.

AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ champions Japan, hosts and runners-up Australia, third-placed Korea Republic, AFC Challenge Cup 2012 winners DPR Korea and the champions of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup will get direct berths in the final competition.

Syria were together with Jordan in Group B of the last edition in Doha 2011 but the former crashed out while the Al Nashama advanced to the quarter-finals after finishing second in the group behind eventual champions Japan. This time, the Syrian Eagles, Jordan, Oman, and Singapore who last appeared in 1984, complete Group A.

In another renewal of rivalry, Iran who beat Kuwait in the 1976 final to emerge as the champions have again been put together with the Al Azraq in Group B where they face off against Lebanon and 2007 co-hosts and group stage contestants Thailand.

Iraq are to shake hands with Saudi Arabia again in Group C, having emerged champions in 2007 after defeating the Green Falcons. China PR, who were runners-up in 2004, and 2007 co-hosts Indonesia will keep them company.

In Group E, Central Asians Uzbekistan will meet Hong Kong, the hosts and third place winners of the inaugural edition in 1956. The section is rounded off by 2007 quarter-finalists Vietnam and 1996 runners-up the UAE.

Group D is home to 2011 hosts and quarter-finalists Qatar, who have appeared in the AFC Asian Cup seven times, their neighbours Bahrain, Yemen, and 2007 co-hosts and group stage contestants Malaysia.

The qualifiers will commence in February 2013.

The Groupings:

Group A
Jordan
Syria
Oman
Singapore

Group B
Iran
Kuwait
Thailand
Lebanon

Group C
Iraq
China
Saudi Arabia
Indonesia

Group D
Qatar
Bahrain
Yemen
Malaysia

Group E
Uzbekistan
UAE
Vietnam
Hong Kong

[God is an Englishman]

australia is not in asia.

why do they take the easy route to a world cup just because they weren't good enough through the legitimate route.

[Knight15]

Lol, more bait for the unsuspecting

Bless you GIAE

Wonder how many you will catch despite how obvious this one is

Good Fishing

[God is an Englishman]

Lol, more bait for the unsuspecting

Bless you GIAE

Wonder how many you will catch despite how obvious this one is

Good Fishing

I just find it ridiculous that fifa allows countries to pick and choose the easier confederation to qualify from.

[Redmum's Avatar]

They've allowed Israel to do it for years.

[God is an Englishman]

They've allowed Israel to do it for years.

I did use the plural, they wouldn't allow mexico to move to south america. Obviously israel is a safety and political issue, but doesn't make it right.

[Redmum's Avatar]

Guyana should be playing in comnebol.

[BlackBrian_7]

Russia should be playing in Asia.

[BlackBrian_7]

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be playing as Great Britain.

[God is an Englishman]

Guyana should be playing in comnebol.

I thought Guyana was in south america (but qualify to play cricket for the west indies)

[God is an Englishman]

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be playing as Great Britain.

TOO OBVIOUS!

[Bomber]

Australia is playing in its original confederation. Think of teams we played to qualify against in 1974 World Cup (and prior to). Oceania was "invented" as they didnt know what to do with the Pacific Island nations.

[Facts and Stats]

I agree with GIAE, it's ridiculous countries can pick and choose.

Israel is for obvious reasons, and it doesn't help them, playing in Europe.

I often wonder why Scotland don't move to the Oceania confederation, they might get back to the WC that way?

[God is an Englishman]

Australia is playing in its original confederation. Think of teams we played to qualify against in 1974 World Cup (and prior to). Oceania was "invented" as they didnt know what to do with the Pacific Island nations.

When was oceania invented? I thought it had been a continent for centuries now.

EDIT: a little research reveals oceania was invented in 1812

[Facts and Stats]

My (Australian) wife was always taught Australia was part of Australasia, she says Oceania is a 'made up' thing.

I was taught the Continent we reside in was either Australia, Australasia or Oceania. Each teacher said a different thing.

[God is an Englishman]

My (Australian) wife was always taught Australia was part of Australasia, she says Oceania is a 'made up' thing.

I was taught the Continent we reside in was either Australia, Australasia or Oceania. Each teacher said a different thing.

Agreed with the last part,

I just popped down to the pub and a bloke in there told me this:

The term is sometimes used more specifically to denote a continent comprising Australia and proximate islands

The term was coined as Océanie ca. 1812 by geographer Conrad Malte-Brun.[4] The word Océanie is a French language word derived from the Greek word ὠκεανός (ōkeanós), ocean.

[Bomber]

Australia is playing in its original confederation. Think of teams we played to qualify against in 1974 World Cup (and prior to). Oceania was "invented" as they didnt know what to do with the Pacific Island nations.

When was oceania invented? I thought it had been a continent for centuries now.

EDIT: a little research reveals oceania was invented in 1812

The inverted commas didnt ring a bell for you? It was "invented" as a FIFA confederation. Prior to, Australia qualified via Asia so we are merely going back to where we started it all from! Not rocket science.

[God is an Englishman]

Australia is playing in its original confederation. Think of teams we played to qualify against in 1974 World Cup (and prior to). Oceania was "invented" as they didnt know what to do with the Pacific Island nations.

When was oceania invented? I thought it had been a continent for centuries now.

EDIT: a little research reveals oceania was invented in 1812

The inverted commas didnt ring a bell for you? It was "invented" as a FIFA confederation. Prior to, Australia qualified via Asia so we are merely going back to where we started it all from! Not rocket science.

that's like saying fifa invented europe

[Bomber]

Not at all, just saying they qualified via Asia to reach 1974 WC, prior to them going back to Oceania which was formed as a confederation by FIFA in 1966.

[God is an Englishman]

Not at all, just saying they qualified via Asia to reach 1974 WC, prior to them going back to Oceania which was formed as a confederation by FIFA in 1966.

so they didn't invent oceania then?

[ronaldo07]

australia is not in asia.

why do they take the easy route to a world cup just because they weren't good enough through the legitimate route.

My thought exactly as soon as i read the title of this topic !!

[DOC]

oceania isn't a continent, australia should be, as it is a continent, in the austraia region, therefore get direct passage into the world cup IF you really want to get technical

[Bomber]

oceania isn't a continent, australia should be, as it is a continent, in the austraia region, therefore get direct passage into the world cup IF you really want to get technical

Perhaps FIFA should look for candidates for Antarctica federation.

Hawkesy, nice try but you lose on this one. Perhaps the british isles should press FIFA for their own confederation or does the Ryder Cup only consider brits as Europeans when it suits individuals agendas?

[Redmum's Avatar]

Russia should be playing in Asia.

At least some of Russia is in Europe.

[Redmum's Avatar]

Guyana should be playing in comnebol.

I thought Guyana was in south america

That's my point,
Comnebol = South America.

[Redmum's Avatar]

Perhaps the british isles should press FIFA for their own confederation

They could be joined by Greenland, Iceland and Færøyene in a North Atlantic confederation.

[barcabarcabarca]

how dare england avoid rest of british isles and play as england
you should be force to include ramsey in your squad and do even worse than the shit you currently do

[God is an Englishman]

oceania isn't a continent, australia should be, as it is a continent, in the austraia region, therefore get direct passage into the world cup IF you really want to get technical

so what continent is new zealand in?

Plus you basically had your own confederation and still couldn't qualify

[God is an Englishman]

how dare england avoid rest of british isles and play as england
you should be force to include ramsey in your squad and do even worse than the cabernet you currently do

so, now you want us to play as "british isles", that's just laughable.

[God is an Englishman]

oceania isn't a continent, australia should be, as it is a continent, in the austraia region, therefore get direct passage into the world cup IF you really want to get technical

Perhaps FIFA should look for candidates for Antarctica federation.

Hawkesy, nice try but you lose on this one. Perhaps the british isles should press FIFA for their own confederation or does the Ryder Cup only consider brits as Europeans when it suits individuals agendas?

We once had our own confederation, the home nations winner qualified. Clearly England is in europe, doesn't mean I consider myself european though. But geographically it's undeniable.