afc-magazine11

REVIEW: AFC U-23 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS
Line-Up Set For 2016 AFC
U-23 Championship
Hosts Qatar will be joined
by group winners Iraq,
Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates,
Syria, Australia, DPR Korea,
Korea Republic, Japan
and China as well as best
second placed finishers
Thailand, Iran, Vietnam, Yemen and Uzbekistan
at the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship following
the completion of the qualifiers.
Defending champions Iraq made the ideal
start to the campaign to advance to the
tournament, which also acts as a qualifier
for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, by
defeating Lebanon 4-1 in Muscat.
And having edged out Saudi Arabia 1-0
in the final of the inaugural tournament in
2014, Iraq then beat the Maldives 7-1 before
needing a pair of late goals to edge out
Bahrain.
Iraq completed their unbeaten record in
Group A with a 2-2 draw against hosts Oman,
who came back from two goals down to qualify
as one of the best second-place finishers.
Jordan sealed progress as winners of Group
B in May after topping the standings also with
an unbeaten record.
In Group C, 2014 runners-up Saudi Arabia
beat hosts Iran 2-1 on the final Matchday to
top the table by a point although both sides
secured progress to the finals in Qatar.
In the UAE, the hosts posted a 100% record
to ease into the finals following three straight
victories over Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Yemen
to win Group D.
But Yemen secured qualification as another
of the best-placed runners-up.
Syria and Australia also posted 100%
records to top Group E and Group F having
won all three games.
Uzbekistan did progress from Group E
after beating India and Bangladesh, although
Group F runners-up Myanmar missed out.
In Group G, a superior goal difference saw
DPR Korea edge out Thailand, although the
hosts also advanced to the finals as one of
the best second-placed sides.
Korea Republic and Japan, meanwhile,
posted perfect records in Groups H and I to
ensure their progress.
And after beating Malaysia and Macau
either side of their defeat by Japan, Vietnam
eventually also progressed as one of the best
second-placed finishers.
Finally in Group J, China posted
convincing wins over Laos, Singapore and
Mongolia to top the table with another 100%
record and earn their place at the finals in
Qatar next year.
Group A
P W D L F A +/- Pts
Iraq 4 3 1 0 15 4 11 10
Oman 4 2 2 0 12 3 9 8
Bahrain 4 1 2 1 4 3 1 5
Lebanon 4 1 1 2 3 9 -6 4
Maldives 4 0 0 4 2 17 -15 0
23/03/15
Bahrain 1 Oman 1
Maldives 1 Lebanon 2
25/03/15
Lebanon 1 Iraq 4
Maldives 0 Bahrain 3
27/03/15
Iraq 7 Maldives 1
Oman 4 Lebanon 0
29/03/15
Oman 5 Maldives 0
Bahrain 0 Iraq 2
31/03/15
Lebanon 0 Bahrain 0
Iraq 2 Oman 2
Group B
P W D L F A +/- Pts
Jordan 3 2 1 0 12 3 9 7
Kuwait 3 1 2 0 5 3 2 5
Pakistan 3 1 0 2 3 8 -5 3
Kyrgyzstan 3 0 1 2 1 7 -6 1
16/05/15
Jordan 5 Pakistan 0
Kuwait 0 Kyrgyzstan 0
18/05/15
Pakistan 0 Kuwait 2
Kyrgyzstan 0 Jordan 4
20/05/15
Jordan 3 Kuwait 3
Kyrgyzstan 1 Pakistan 3
Group C
P W D L F A +/- Pts
Saudi Arabia 4 3 1 0 9 1 8 10
Iran 4 3 0 1 15 2 13 9
Palestine 4 2 0 2 6 4 2 6
Afghanistan 4 1 1 2 2 8 -6 4
Nepal 4 0 0 4 0 17 -17 0
23/03/15
Nepal 0 Iran 5
Afghanistan 0 Palestine 2
25/03/15
Palestine 0 Saudi Arabia 1
Afghanistan 2 Nepal 0
27/03/15
Saudi Arabia 0 Afghanistan 0
Iran 3 Palestine 0
29/03/15
Iran 6 Afghanistan 0
Nepal 0 Saudi Arabia 6
31/03/15
Palestine 4 Nepal 0
Saudi Arabia 2 Iran 1
Group D
P W D L F A +/- Pts
UAE 3 3 0 0 8 0 8 9
Yemen 3 2 0 1 7 2 5 6
Tajikistan 3 1 0 2 6 6 0 3
Sri Lanka 3 0 0 3 1 14 -13 0
27/03/15
United Arab Emirates 4 Sri Lanka 0
Yemen 2 Tajikistan 1
29/03/15
Sri Lanka 0 Yemen 5
Tajikistan 0 United Arab Emirates 3
31/03/15
United Arab Emirates 1 Yemen 0
Tajikistan 5 Sri Lanka 1
Group E
P W D L F A +/- Pts
Syria 3 3 0 0 10 1 9 9
Uzbekistan 3 2 0 1 7 2 5 6
India 3 0 1 2 0 6 -6 1
Bangladesh 3 0 1 2 0 8 -8 1
27/03/15
Syria 4 Bangladesh 0
Uzbekistan 2 India 0
29/03/15
Bangaldesh 0 Uzbekistan 4
India 0 Syria 4
31/03/15
Syria 2 Uzbekistan 1
India 0 Bangladesh 0
Group F
P W D L F A +/- Pts
Australia 3 3 0 0 15 1 14 9
Myanmar 3 2 0 1 6 6 0 6
Chinese Taipei 3 1 0 2 3 8 -5 3
Hong Kong 3 0 0 3 2 11 -9 0
27/03/15
Australia 6 Hong Kong 0
Myanmar 3 Chinese Taipei 0
29/03/15
Hong Kong 1 Myanmar 2
Chinese Taipei 0 Australia 4
31/03/15
Australia 5 Myanmar 1
Chinese Taipei 3 Hong Kong 1
Group G
P W D L F A +/- Pts
DPR Korea 3 2 1 0 8 1 7 7
Thailand 3 2 1 0 7 2 5 7
Cambodia 3 1 0 2 5 7 -2 3
Philippines 3 0 0 3 2 12 -10 0
27/03/15
DPR Korea 4 Philippines 0
Thailand 2 Cambodia 1
29/03/15
Philippines 1 Thailand 5
Cambodia 1 DPR Korea 4
31/03/15
DPR Korea 0 Thailand 0
Cambodia 3 Philippines 1
Group H
P W D L F A +/- Pts
Korea Republic 3 3 0 0 12 0 12 9
Indonesia 3 2 0 1 7 4 3 6
Timor Leste 3 1 0 2 3 8 -5 3
Brunei Darussalam 3 0 0 3 0 10 -10 0
27/03/15
Korea Republic 5 Brunei Darussalam 0
Indonesia 5 Timor Leste 0
29/03/15
Brunei Darussalam 0 Indonesia 2
Timor Leste 0 Korea Republic 3
31/03/15
Korea Republic 4 Indonesia 0
Timor Leste 3 Brunei Darussalam 0
Group I
P W D L F A +/- Pts
Japan 3 3 0 0 10 0 10 9
Vietnam 3 2 0 1 9 3 6 6
Malaysia 3 1 0 2 3 3 0 3
Macau 3 0 0 3 0 16 -16 0
27/03/15
Japan 7 Macau 0
Malaysia 1 Vietnam 2
29/03/15
Macau 0 Malaysia 2
Vietnam 0 Japan 2
31/03/15
Japan 1 Malaysia 0
Vietnam 7 Macau 0
Group J
P W D L F A +/- Pts
China 3 3 0 0 13 0 13 9
Laos 3 1 1 1 7 3 4 4
Singapore 3 0 2 1 2 7 -5 2
Mongolia 3 0 1 2 2 14 -12 1
27/03/15
China 5 Mongolia 0
Laos 0 Singapore 0
29/03/15
Mongolia 0 Laos 7
Singapore 0 China 5
31/03/15
China 3 Laos 0
Singapore 2 Mongolia 2
AFC QUARTERLY 71