Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dhaka: India avoided finishing bottom of the table after finishing their unsuccessful 2016 AFC U-23 Championship qualifying campaign on Tuesday with a goalless draw against host Bangladesh.
With neither side able to get on the score sheet in their three games at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in the Bangladesh capital it was India that avoided the wooden spoon thanks to having conceded less goals in their defeats to Uzbekistan and Group E winners Syria, who took top spot with a 2-1 defeat over the Uzbeks in the earlier fixture at the same venue.
Ten group winners and five best second-placed teams from all groups will join hosts Qatar at the AFC U-23 Championship 2016, with January’s 16-team competition also serving as Asia’s qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games in Rio.
The final group winner and the complete line up of best second-place finishers will only be confirmed after the conclusion of Group B of the qualifiers, which features Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan as well as hosts Pakistan.
Group B was scheduled to take place in Lahore at Lahore’s Punjab Stadium from March 23 to 31 has been postponed due to security concerns following the recent troubles in the Youhanabad area of the city.
A decision on an alternative venue and schedule for Group B will be announced in due course.