Iran drawn in Group A of AFC U-19 Championship

Tehran Times – YANGON, Iran U-19 football team has been drawn in Group A of the Asian championship.

The Iranian outfit has been grouped with host Myanmar, Yemen and Thailand. 2012 AFC U-19 Championship semifinalist Uzbekistan and Australia will join the previous edition’s host UAE and Indonesia in Group B. Both Uzbekistan and Australia had managed a place in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey where Uzbekistan bowed out in the quarter-final.

Defending champion Korea Republic has been pitted in strong Group C in the AFC U-19 Championship 2014 where the team will face rival Japan as well as China and Vietnam.

Losing finalist of 2012 Iraq is seeded in Group D where they face challenges in the form of DPR Korea, Qatar and Oman. Iraq had a brilliant run-in in the U-20 World Cup after finishing fourth.

The 16-nation competition will be staged in the two venues of Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw in October with the top four teams qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup to be played in New Zealand next year.

The Group A and B matches will be played at the Yangon’s Youth Training Centre Stadium while the Group C and D matches will be held at the Zeyar Thiri Stadium in Nay Pyi Taw. The semifinal and final will be staged in Yangon.

The Groups:

Group A: Myanmar, Iran, Thailand, Yemen

Group B: Uzbekistan, Australia, UAE, Indonesia

Group C: Korea Republic, Japan, China, Vietnam

Group D: Iraq, DPR Korea, Qatar, Oman