HOSTS THAILAND IN TRICKY GROUP FOR AFC FUTSAL MEET

BANGKOK (12 April 2008) – Hosts Thailand have been drawn in a tricky Group A of the AFC Futsal Championship 2008 where they are up against last year’s semi-finalists Kyrgyzstan, Asean neighbour Indonesia and middle-eastern outfit Iraq.

The AFC Futsal Championship will be held in Bangkok this year on 11-18 May.

Malaysia on the other hand will be up against one of the strongest team in Asia, Uzbekistan, vastly improved Lebanon and Korea Republic in Group C.

Asian futsal kingpins Iran were drawn in an easier Group D for the 10th edition of the AFC Futsal Championship following the official draw in Bangkok.

Iran, who will be gunning for their ninth title, were the last to be pulled out of the pot for the 16-team event and placed alongside Central Asian side Tajikistan, China and qualifiers Kuwait.

Unlike Iran, 2006 champions and last edition’s runners-up Japan will have to negotiate a difficult path to the quarter-finals after being pooled in Group B with Australia, who reached the last eight in Osaka last year, Turkmenistan and Chinese Taipei, who came through after a successful qualification campaign.

The top-two teams in each group will progress to the quarter-finals while the four semi-finalists will get an invite to the FIFA Futsal World Cup later in the year.

AFC FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2008

GROUP A: Kyrgyzstan, THAILAND, Iraq, INDONESIA.

GROUP B: Japan, Australia, Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei

GROUP C: Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Korea Republic, MALAYSIA

GROUP D: Iran, Tajikistan, China, Kuwait