Iran's Soccer Squad First-Rate: AFC

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Iranian football side are a first-rate team in Asia.

They have been categorized as "first class" for the Asian Games men's football competition based on the seeding released by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Friday.

South Korea, China, Japan, Kuwait and Thailand are also seeded in top category.

The teams in the second rung are Qatar, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan while Malaysia, Tajikistan, Lebanon, India, Bahrain and Vietnam are placed in the third category. Bangladesh, Maldives, Jordan, Yemen, Hong Kong and Mongolia occupy the last category.

Malaysia, who won a bronze in the Asian Games in Tehran in 1974, will be counting on Englishman Allan Harris to chart the national team's fortune.

He did well to guide the under-23 boys to the silver medal in the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which they lost to Thailand 1-0 in the final last September, IRNA reported.

R. Indran, the AFC competition chairman said the football tournament, which will be an under-23 event with three overaged players, has been classified into four categories based on the team rankings and past performances in age group competitions.

A total of 24 teams have confirmed participation and the draw will be conducted in Pusan, South Korea on July 9. The Asian Games will be held from Sept. 27-Oct. 13.

"There will be six groups with four teams in each group. The draw will be conducted based on the four categories.

The group champions and the best two runners-up teams will advance to the quarterfinals," said Indran.

The men's football matches will be played at five venues, including Pusan and Ulsan, both of which hosted the recent 2002 World Cup finals.

Meanwhile, only five teams will compete for the women's football gold medal. They are defending champions China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

The women's competition will be held on Oct. 2-11.