AFC – Newcomers to the Asian
women’s football scene IR Iran will face ASEAN powerhouses Myanmar and
Vietnam alongside Chinese Taipei, who also qualified in the 1st round
competition for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2008.
The draw for the final round qualification for Asia’s premier women’s
competition was held at AFC House yesterday, after the 1st AFC Women's
Committee meeting of the 2007-2011 term.
IR Iran defeated India 5-4 on aggregate in October, after clawing back from
a 3-1 loss in their away match. Their decisive win of 4-1 in the second leg
at the Ararat Stadium propelled them into the second round. Their group
contenders Chinese Taipei qualified to the second round automatically due to
the withdrawal of Guam.
In Group B, the Philippines overcame East Asian traditional powerhouse Hong
Kong with a narrow 4-3 on aggregate, and Malaysia defeated rivals Singapore
2-1 on aggregate. They go on to play Thailand and Korea Republic
respectively.
Korea Republic, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar have qualified automatically
to this second round since they finished in 5th - 8th places in the previous
AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Adelaide in 2006.
In the second round, two groups to play one-round robin league match 1-9
March 2008. The top two teams of the group will qualify for the finals which
is scheduled to be tentatively held from May 28 to June 8 2008. The both
venues for the second round and the finals have not yet been decided.
