|
|
 |
| Calendar of Events |
| 13/11/2008 |
Organising Committee for AFC Youth Competitions
|
| 20/11/2008 |
Women's Committee |
| 20/11/2008 |
AFC Women's Awards Night 2008 |
|
More |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| News Centre |
|
|
|
| Japan, Bahrain clash again |
 |
| Bahrain and Japan have become regular adversaries having met in the 2006 and 2010 World Cup qualifiers. (AFP) |
DOHA – Japan and Bahrain are set to renew acquaintances for the third consecutive qualifying campaign after the draw for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup final qualification round placed both sides in Group A.
Japan, the top seeds for Thursday’s draw at the Aspire Academy in Doha, and Bahrain, who were seeded tenth, were grouped together in the third round of qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where both sides won 1-0 at home on route to finishing first and second respectively in Group 2 to advance to the next stage of the competition.
The two sides, who also clashed in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, were then given another opportunity to renew their rivalry when they were pooled in Group A of the final leg of Asian qualifiers for South Africa 2010 following the official draw at AFC House last Sunday, before their paths were destined to cross yet again on the road to the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.
Regardless of how they may feel about having to play each other eight times over three qualification tournaments both Takeshi Okada, head coach of the three-time continental champions, and Bahrain’s Milan Macala will be overall pleased with the draw.
The other teams in Group A are Yemen, the first team plucked out of the pots in Doha, and inaugural AFC Asian Cup hosts Hong Kong, who were seeded 15th of the 20 teams in the mix.
|
|
|
|
|
|
