ID :
193478
Thu, 07/07/2011 - 12:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/193478
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea grouped with Middle East opponents in Olympic football qualifying
SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has been paired with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman in the final round of the Asian qualification for the 2012 London Olympics.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held the draw Thursday at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, and South Korea was placed in Group A with the three Middle East opponents.
The final round kicks off on Sept. 21 and will go until March 14. Teams will play each other twice in the home-and-away format.
South Korea will open at home against Oman on Sept. 21 and travel to Qatar on Nov. 23. It will be back at home against Saudi Arabia on Nov. 27. On Feb. 5, South Korea will take on Saudi Arabia on the road. Then it's off to Oman on Feb. 22, and the final match will be against Qatar at home on March 14.
South Korea has long had trouble against physical and pesky Middle Eastern teams, and long travels could also be a factor.
South Korean coach Hong Myung-bo said road games will be crucial.
"Our preparations will be important against those tough teams," Hong said in a statement released by the Korea Football Association (KFA). "There are no easy games in the final round."
There are three groups of four in the final round. Group B includes Australia, Iraq, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates. Group C countries include Japan, Bahrain, Syria and Malaysia.
Only the top-ranked countries from those three groups will secure automatic berths to the London Games, while the winner of a three-way playoff among No. 2 seeds will enter an international playoff for a final chance to qualify.
In the previous round, South Korea edged Jordan in the home-and-away series.
South Korea has never won a football medal at the Olympics, a quadrennial competition. It has made it out of the first round only twice in eight appearances at Olympic tournaments.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held the draw Thursday at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, and South Korea was placed in Group A with the three Middle East opponents.
The final round kicks off on Sept. 21 and will go until March 14. Teams will play each other twice in the home-and-away format.
South Korea will open at home against Oman on Sept. 21 and travel to Qatar on Nov. 23. It will be back at home against Saudi Arabia on Nov. 27. On Feb. 5, South Korea will take on Saudi Arabia on the road. Then it's off to Oman on Feb. 22, and the final match will be against Qatar at home on March 14.
South Korea has long had trouble against physical and pesky Middle Eastern teams, and long travels could also be a factor.
South Korean coach Hong Myung-bo said road games will be crucial.
"Our preparations will be important against those tough teams," Hong said in a statement released by the Korea Football Association (KFA). "There are no easy games in the final round."
There are three groups of four in the final round. Group B includes Australia, Iraq, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates. Group C countries include Japan, Bahrain, Syria and Malaysia.
Only the top-ranked countries from those three groups will secure automatic berths to the London Games, while the winner of a three-way playoff among No. 2 seeds will enter an international playoff for a final chance to qualify.
In the previous round, South Korea edged Jordan in the home-and-away series.
South Korea has never won a football medal at the Olympics, a quadrennial competition. It has made it out of the first round only twice in eight appearances at Olympic tournaments.
