Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Zerqa City: Iran started their quest for a spot in the FIFA Women’s Olympic Football Tournament 2012 with a 4-0 rout of Palestine in Group C first round qualifying action on Tuesday here in this Jordanian city. The other group encounter saw hosts Jordan battling back to hold Bahrain to a 1-1 stalemate.
There will be three rounds of qualification spread out until September to decide the two teams that will represent Asia at the London Olympics and a total of 12 teams are taking part in the inaugural phase of qualification that kicked off yesterday and winds up on 27 March.
Iran’s victory was scripted by three goals from midfielder Maryam Rahimi (3, 13, 55) while fellow playmaker Fereshteh Karimi added the fourth in the 31st minute.
In the other match, Reem Al Hashmi fired Bahrain into the lead in the second minute only for Sama’a Khrsait to draw level 10 minutes before the break and ensure a point for hosts Jordan.
The top two teams from Group C and Group A (18-27 March) as well as the winners of Group B (18-22 March) advance to the second round of qualifiers, which is a one-round league format and takes place from 3-12 June.
The winners of the second round join the top five teams of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games edition - Japan, China, DPR Korea, Korea Republic and Australia – in the final round, which is a one-round league format to be played from 1-11 September, with the top two finishers getting to represent Asia at the 2012 London Olympics.