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AFC - The draw for the final leg of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers was made at AFC House today and lived upto expectations by serving up a number of mouthwatering contests.

Ten teams which cleared the tough third round came out of the pots to be placed into two groups of five each based on their showing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and its qualifiers. The top two teams from each group qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa while another half berth can be secured by way of playoffs.

Australia, Japan, Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Qatar made up Group A while Group B will see Korea Republic, Iran, Saudi Arabia, DPR Korea and the UAE doing battle.

Before the draw could commence under the glare of the world media and scores of dignitaries, there was the little matter of separating Saudi Arabia and Japan who were tied fourth based on their performance in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This was duly accomplished, resulting in Japan taking up fourth position while Saudi Arabia made their way to fifth.

Japan will renew their rivalry with Bahrain after today’s draw pitted 2006 FIFA World Cup final round qualifying rivals together again.

Korea Republic, who are eyeing their sixth consecutive appearance in a FIFA World Cup, find themselves in familiar company having contested Saudi Arabia in the final qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup too.

Australia had qualified for the 1974 and 2006 World Cups as a member of the Oceania Football Federation and this is the first time they are playing in the Asian qualifiers since joining the AFC family in 2006.

Defence-oriented DPR Korea, who had qualified for the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, did not concede a single goal and will be looking forward to maintain their clean slate when they take on will begin their campaign away against the UAE.

Bahrain, who failed to make the cut for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany last time round by a whisker after losing to CONCACAF side Trinidad and Tobago in the inter-continental playoff, will once again face-off with Uzbekistan, whom they defeated in the inter-AFC playoff in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Having punched their ticket with a solitary goal win over Asian champions Iraq on the last day of the qualifiers, Qatar will now have to negotiate their way through a tough group and will take on Uzbekistan, who were the first team to qualify for the last phase and also scored the most goals, on the first Match Day.

THE GROUPINGS
Group A: 1. Australia, 2. Japan, 3. Bahrain, 4. Uzbekistan, 5. Qatar
Group B: 1. Korea Republic, 2. Iran, 3. Saudi Arabia, 4. DPR Korea, 5. UAE

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