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AFC - All eyes will be on the Kuala Lumpur
Convention Centre when the AFC Asian Cup 2007 Final Draw takes place
tomorrow (December 19), marking the start of the final stretch to the
continent’s premier national team event.
The Final Draw marks the culmination of 10 months of thrilling qualifying
action involving 24 teams and spread over 22 countries.
Eagerly waiting for the draw, alongwith representatives and coaches of the
16 Finalists, are millions of fans across Asia. The event which kicks off at
2000 hours local time will be beamed live to an estimated 250 million
households.
With the exception of the four co-hosts Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and
Vietnam who qualified automatically, all the other teams, including the
traditional continental superpowers, had to do it the hard way and negotiate
their way forward from tricky groups.
The distinction of being the only debutants in next year’s Finals goes to
Australia who topped the three-team Group D and were the first ones to
qualify, leaving Bahrain and Kuwait way behind in a scrap for second place.
Bahrain, a pale shadow of the team which finished fourth in China 2004,
eventually squeezed past Kuwait in the all-West drama to book their place in
the tournament proper.
Of the 12 qualifying teams, only Iran, who finished third in the last
edition, managed to advance without losing a game though they had to endure
a change of coaches as Branko Ivankovic bid farewell after the team’s
disastrous showing in the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany and Amir Ghalenoiee
was given charge of their flailing campaign.
Two-time defending champions Japan never looked in trouble after being
slotted in an easy group with Saudi Arabia, who slammed a whopping 21 goals,
for company and a one-two was always on the cards. Co-incidentally, the
trophy has changed hands between Japan and Saudi Arabia since 1984 though
none of them has been able to claim a hat-trick.
Last edition’s hosts and runners-up China started confidently but a loss of
form midway coupled with a determined showing from Singapore and Palestine
almost cost them their place in the Finals from a group which remained wide
open until Match Day 5. Iraq played all their matches in neutral venues and
won hearts and a spot in the Final Draw with their courageous showing.
For the UAE, qualification proved to be a breeze even as their ‘Arab derby’
games with Oman, who also made the grade, enthralled fans.
Qatar easily sewed up their place in yet another AFC Asian Cup Final Draw
while Uzbekistan had to pull themselves back from the brink after a defeat
and two draws greatly reduced their chances. Coach Valeri Nepomniatchi first
lost his job with Pakhtakor and then quit on the final Match Day after the
Uzbeks heaved themselves into the tournament proper.
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